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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT:
American Cancer Society
Cancer is more than just the diagnosis and treatment of the patient. It is the familial trials and tribulations, the confusion and worry that accompany the initial news, and a forever journey for many, regardless of remission. For more than 100 years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked to guide people through this very journey with a mission to end cancer as we know it. “The ACS is the leading cancer fighting organization,” Jason Plaia, director of development, says. “When someone hears the words ‘you have cancer,’ the hope is that that person will reach out to us and allow a connection to be made. In
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the end, we are that vetted organization and we can provide the necessary information and support to make a conscious decision.” The ACS’s functions encompass a wide range of territory. “Everything that we do is dedicated to primarily three focus areas: advocacy, research, and patient support,” explains Paula Green, vice president for the Greater Philadelphia area. In addition to their own advocacy— which underscores everything they do— their sister organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, is specifically dedicated to policy and legislative action. Ultimately, the ACS strives to impact as many people as
BY AMANDA SCHIMMEL
possible and solidify fair access to cancer prevention and treatment. The organization’s patient support covers all of the services provided to patients and loved ones. Green remarks, “we touch millions of lives every year through our 24/7 cancer information center hotline and many more of our patientfacing programs.” Research and fundraising also go hand in hand for the ACS, as the fundraising done through events and campaigns is directly invested into cancer research. In fact, the organization is the second largest funder for cancer research next to the government. One of ACS’s programs even fosters the next generation of women-led
November/December 2023
| DELAWARE BUSINESS
