The American Cancer Society Day

WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society, originally named the American Society for the Control of Cancer, was established in 1913 and has 100 years of milestones in the fight against cancer; and

WHEREAS, the Women’s Field Army started raising money and educating the public about cancer in 1937; in 1944, the American Cancer Society prioritized funding cancer research which to date has funded 46 Nobel Laureates and is the largest non-governmental, not-for-profit funder of cancer research; and

WHEREAS, the organization made a connection between lung cancer and smoking in 1950, which has led to education and laws that have greatly reduced smoking rates; and

WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society helped seek passage of the Cancer Act of 1971 that established the National Cancer Institute and now funds billions of dollars annually for research; and

WHEREAS, the now largest grassroots fundraising event in the world, Relay For Life, was launched by an American Cancer Society volunteer in 1985 and has raised more than $3 billion to date and raises $400 million annually to fund research, education, advocacy and service for cancer patients; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, the American Cancer Society opened the doors to the National Cancer Information Center which receives nearly one million calls seeking cancer information per year; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, American Cancer Society research linked obesity to most types of cancer and concluded the impact in 14 percent of cancers in men and 20 percent of cancers in women; and

WHEREAS, for the first time in history, in 2006, the actual number of cancer deaths in the United States declined thanks in large part to the American Cancer Society’s groundbreaking work in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment; and

WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, were successful in gaining support and passage of FDA regulations over tobacco products; and

WHEREAS, in 2012, the American Cancer Society reported cancer death rates declined by 20 percent, which is 1.2 million lives saved, and;

WHEREAS, Thursday, May 22, 2013, the American Cancer Society, the official sponsor of birthdays, will celebrate its 100^th birthday:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2013, as

The American Cancer Society Day

in the state of Alabama.