Cancer. Through research, education and community outreach, this disease is no longer seen as the end of a life.  Instead, more and more people are surviving cancer and they are living to tell their stories. The American Cancer Society has been a part of that survivorship through community programs like Tell A Friend, a program in which women encourage their friends to get a mammogram; Reach to Recovery, a support and resource group for fellow breast cancer patients and survivors; Man to Man, a prostate education program; and Special Friends, a program that pairs children cancer patients with medical students for support and fun.

In Illinois, an estimated 57,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. We are fighting the battle everyday, and with your help, this number can decrease as the years progress.

The American Cancer Society invested $120 million in cancer research last year. Since its beginnings in 1946, the ACS Research Program has funded $2.3 billion in cancer research, and 31 of these researchers have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.

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Research...........................................18.4%
Through cancer research, we are providing answers to life-threatening questions and changing the future. Accomplishments such as the cure for childhood leukemia, the use of mammography, the Pap smear, and the use of 5-FU to treat colon cancer have been made by ACS funded researchers.

Detection & Treatment......................16.4%
Detecting cancer in its earliest stages tremendously increases the chances of surviving the disease. Educating the community on screenings such mammography, Pap smear, prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and colonoscopy is essential in the early detection of cancers.  If diagnosed with cancer, it is through shared information that cancer patients are able to make logical and comprehensive decisions about treatment options.

Prevention.........................................20.9%
The prevention of cancer is the other "half" of increasing survivorship, along with early detection.  Educational programs on areas such as nutrition, colorectal cancer awareness, breast cancer awareness, prostrate cancer awareness, and anti-tobacco messages are implemented in communities throughout Illinois.

Cancer Information & Resources.......17.9%
When diagnosed with cancer, a patient has thousands of questions that must be answered. By contacting a local ACS office, by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 or by visiting www.cancer.org, anyone can receive up-to-date, accurate information on a cancer diagnosis, treatments, support programs, local resources and more.

Fundraising.......................................20.2%
Through special events, workplace giving, planned giving and major gifts, the lifesaving messages about the early detection and prevention of cancer are communicated while raising funds.

Management & General.....................6.2%
Administering all American Cancer Society programs and initiatives.