Richard Thomas Curtin, Jr.
In lieu of flowers
Background
Billions of dollars have been raised for cancer research. There are more than 100 types of cancer and we need a cure for all of them. Please consider donating to the American Cancer Society. They continue to fund and conduct research, share expert information, support patients and educate about prevention.
Statistics at a Glance: The Burden of Cancer in the United States
*In 2018, an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 609,640 people will die from the disease.
*The most common cancers (listed in descending order according to estimated new cases in 2018) are breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.
*The number of new cases of cancer (cancer incidence) is 439.2 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2011–2015 cases).
*The number of cancer deaths (cancer mortality) is 163.5 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2011–2015 deaths).
*Cancer mortality is higher among men than women (196.8 per 100,000 men and 139.6 per 100,000 women). When comparing groups based on race/ethnicity and sex, cancer mortality is highest in African American men (239.9 per 100,000) and lowest in Asian/Pacific Islander women (88.3 per 100,000).
*In 2016, there were an estimated 15.5 million cancer survivors in the United States. The number of cancer survivors is expected to increase to 20.3 million by 2026.
*Approximately 38.4% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes (based on 2013–2015 data).
*In 2017, an estimated 15,270 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 were diagnosed with cancer and 1,790 died of the disease.
*Estimated national expenditures for cancer care in the United States in 2017 were $147.3 billion. In future years, costs are likely to increase as the population ages and cancer prevalence increases. Costs are also likely to increase as new, and often more expensive, treatments are adopted as standards of care.
Statistics at a Glance: The Burden of Cancer Worldwide
*Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2012, there were 14.1 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide.
*57% of new cancer cases in 2012 occurred in less developed regions of the world that include Central America and parts of Africa and Asia; 65% of cancer deaths also occurred in these regions.
*The number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to 23.6 million by 2030. Contribute to American Cancer Society
About American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone. We are the only organization working to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.Frequently asked questions
Answered by a team member at American Cancer Society
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What is your mission?
The mission of the American Cancer Society is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.
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How are donations used?
While most people know us for our research, we do so much more. We attack cancer from every angle. We promote healthy lifestyles to help you prevent cancer. We research cancer and its causes to find more answers and better treatments. We fight for lifesaving policy changes. We provide everything from emotional support to the latest cancer information for those who have been touched by cancer. And we do it all 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call us on our helpline 1-800-227-2345 or visit us on cancer.org
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What can be done with a $100 donation?
$100 can provide two free nights at an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge community to patients and their caregivers, saving them more than $5,674 in lodging costs. It also has the potential to provide 4 free rides to treatment for cancer patients who would otherwise have no means of transportation.
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What progress has been made already thanks to your donors?
By taking what we’ve learned through research and translating it into action, we’ve contributed to a 26% decrease in the overall US cancer death rate since 1991. That means that we helped avoid nearly 2.4 million cancer deaths during that time.
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What is the history of your organization?
The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 and has been the leading cancer fighting organization since that time. We’ve been part of major Cancer Breakthroughs in the Past Century, such as:
• The first successful chemotherapy treatment
• The adoption of the Pap test for uterine and cervical cancer screenings
• Requiring a warning label on all cigarette packets
• The first to scientifically prove a link between smoking and cancer
• Helping pass legislation that banned smoking in public places
• The first to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of mammograms for early detection
• We have the most contributions to bedside treatment breakthroughs
• And we have funded the most (49) Nobel Laureates in cancer research
Recent contributions to American Cancer Society
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