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Creation
The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 by 10 doctors and 5 laypeople in New York City. -
Reality
At the time created a cancer diagnosis meant near certain death. -
Logo
The sword symbol, adopted by the American Cancer Society in 1928, was designed by George E. Durant of Brooklyn, New York. -
Womens field army
Marjorie G. Illig proposed creating a legion of volunteers whose sole purpose was to wage war on cancer. The Women’s Field Army, as this organization came to be called, was an enormous success. -
Organizations name
It was called the American Society for the Control of Cancer (ASCC) Originally. In 1945, the ASCC was reorganized as the American Cancer Society. -
First Fundraiser
In 1946, philanthropist Mary Lasker and her colleagues met this challenge, helping to raise more than $4 million for the Society – $1 million of which was used to establish and fund the Society’s groundbreaking research program. -
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Extreme Funding
Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $4 billion in research, recognizing and providing the funding 47 researchers needed to get started and go on to win the Nobel Prize. -
Earnings
In 2009, CEO John Seffrin earned a chilling annual salary of $914,906. For an organization dedicated to funding research, these statistics are inexcusable. Relay for Life spends an egregious amount of funds promoting its own brand. -
Survivors
Thanks in part to the Society’s work, there are nearly 14.5 million people alive in the United States alone who have survived cancer. -
The current fight
More than 500 lives are being saved each day that would have otherwise been lost to cancer.
