"Throughout the Presidential primary season, the Society’s Campaign Against Cancer has been working to elevate cancer as a major issue in the national campaign. In the Spring, the Society asked all major presidential candidates to set aside prime podium time during their political party conventions to address cancer issues. This week in Philadelphia, health care issues, and specifically cancer-related issues, were the focus of key speakers. As part of our continuing efforts to support a cancer cure and prevention agenda, we look forward to hearing how each presidential candidate will address cancer issues if they are elected.

"The political conventions provide a unique means by which to inform voters about the reach and impact of cancer on America’s communities, and to raise the profile of policies that can help win the war on cancer. Cancer is not and should not be a partisan issue. This disease affects millions of Americans from every political background, so finding a cure, improving early detection and screening, expanding access to treatment and improving the quality of life for cancer patients is a challenge for all Americans of all political persuasions.

"Voters surveyed nationwide say cancer is a national issue – it rates as Americans’ number one health concern. More than 1.2 million Americans are newly diagnosed with cancer every year. Last year, cancer killed half a million people nationwide. Almost every potential voter is touched by cancer."

Late last year, the American Cancer Society launched a first of-its-kind volunteer grassroots effort to educate the presidential candidates on cancer issues and urge them to adopt a cancer cure and prevention policy agenda. This effort was supplemented by targeted paid advertising in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Washington, DC.

The goal of the effort, called the Campaign Against Cancer, is to ensure that national candidates understand the issues surrounding cancer and what Americans think about this disease. As part of the Campaign Against Cancer, the American Cancer Society wrote to the major candidates for President asking them to share their experiences with cancer and how those experiences formed an impression upon them to want to beat the disease.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service. For information about cancer, call toll-free anytime 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the American Cancer Society Website at www.cancer.org.