Ten Years in the Making

IŠ—'m pleased to announce the launch of this blog as ACS CAN is in the midst of celebrating its 10th birthday. Since joining ACS CAN a little over a year ago, I have seen the passion and dedication of the volunteers and staff who have worked so hard to make this organization the nationŠ—'s leading advocacy group for people with cancer and their families.

A decade ago I was a senior vice president for the Boeing Company. It was my government relations background and my familyŠ—'s history with cancer, most notably the loss of my father, which led me to join the ACS CAN team.

Here are just some of our organizationŠ—'s incredible accomplishments over the past 10 years:

• In 2001, the average state tobacco tax was 43.4 cents per pack. Today, thanks to ACS CANŠ—'s critical efforts across the country, the average is $1.46 per pack, an increase that has helped to lower smoking rates and fund lifesaving tobacco cessation programs.
• In 2001, no state had a comprehensive smoke-free law in effect. Today, 23 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have comprehensive laws that are protecting workers from deadly secondhand smoke.
• Throughout its existence, one of ACS CANŠ—'s top priorities has been to increase funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The program now has a 20-year record of success at providing access to mammograms and Pap tests for low income women in every state.
• When it was founded in 2001, ACS CAN continued the American Cancer SocietyŠ—'s critical effort in support of doubling the research budget of the National Institutes of Health, a process that Congress completed in 2003. Since then, ACS CAN has worked to defend and increase federal funding for cancer research and programs, which have led to breakthroughs that are helping cancer mortality rates to decline in the U.S.