American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (or ACS CAN) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan sister organization to the American Cancer Society. It was founded in December 2001 to directly advocate the goals of the American Cancer Society, which is subject to restrictions on advocacy activities because of its tax classification.

Campaigns
ACS CAN's advocacy efforts are targeted at specific cancer-related issues.

Access to Healthcare  Like its sister organization, ACS CAN is devoting a significant portion of its resources to raising public awareness of shortcomings in the US healthcare system from the perspective of cancer patients.

Cancer Research Funding The US government is the largest funder of cancer research via the National Institutes of Health, CDC, yet recent budgets have not provided for increases that make up for increases in medical inflation.

Tobacco Regulation ACS CAN supports efforts to grant the Food and Drug Administration regulatory control over tobacco products.

NBCCEDP ACS CAN actively seeks additional funds for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which provides cancer screenings for low-income women throughout the United States.

Events
Every four years ACS CANlink title hosts a massive lobbying event in Washington,DC called Celebration on the Hill. Events in 2002 and 2006 hosted 4,000 and 10,000 cancer patients, survivors and advocates, respectively. In 2006 ACS CAN successfully met with the office of every member of Congress, an unprecedented achievement for a nonprofit health organization. Attendees were treated to live music, public speakers, and a host of onsite activities, as well as the erection of the American Cancer Society Wall of Hope, a temporary monument to cancer survivorship that covered 2 city blocks.