Florida Volunteer Awarded Top Award for Excellence in Cancer Advocacy

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. –  Maureen Mann was awarded the Volunteer Award for Excellence in Advocacy by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in recognition of her efforts to help make cancer a national priority.

Each year, a lead volunteer who has consistently demonstrated strong leadership while advocating in areas of cancer-related public policy receives this award.

“Maureen has demonstrated an unrelenting commitment to advocating for ACS CAN’s legislative priorities,” said Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “Because of Maureen’s dedication in the fight against cancer, we continue to make great strides toward implementing meaningful legislation to save more lives from this disease in Florida and nationwide. Having her serve on the ACS CAN Board for the past five years has been a privilege and an honor.”

Mann serves as Executive Director of the Lynn Cancer Institute and Lynn Women's Health and Wellness Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, where she is responsible for the strategic and daily operations of one of the largest cancer centers in Florida. She serves on the ACS CAN board and participates in ACS activities in her hometown of Fort Lauderdale.

“Maureen is one of our most passionate, dedicated, successful, and credentialed volunteers,” said Heather Youmans, senior director, Florida government relations for ACS CAN. “In addition to her formal roles, Maureen remains a steady and strong influence in supporting our program of work in Broward County and across Florida.”

Mann was a leader in Florida’s successful effort to raise the state’s cigarette excise tax by $1 per pack in 2009, the first increase in more than two decades. She played a key role in defeating a proposal to cut millions from Florida’s tobacco control program earlier this year and she helped grow the South Florida Policy Forum into one of the largest ACS CAN fundraising events in the country.

The award was presented on September 23 in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual ACS CAN Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. Nearly 700 cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones traveled to the nation’s capital to meet with their elected officials and urge them to make cancer a national priority.

On behalf of all families touched by cancer, ACS CAN thanks Mann for her advocacy efforts that helps eliminate the burden of cancer in Florida and across the country. 

ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.  ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

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