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ACS expands cancer prevention efforts in Puerto Rico

​ACS is partnering with the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT) to enhance local communities' cancer prevention and early detection efforts. This initiative will train health workers and community advocates to become part of our Health Equity Ambassador program, equipping them with vital knowledge on cancer prevention, screening, and available colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer resources. 

Empowering Local Communities 

Through this collaboration, more than 50 community members will receive training—delivered entirely in Spanish—to ensure cultural relevance and accessibility. These ambassadors will actively engage over 5,000 residents via community events, media outreach, and direct education efforts, emphasizing the role of nutrition, physical activity, and early detection in reducing cancer risk. 

A Survivor’s Mission
 
One inspiring advocate is Brunilda Sabater, a breast cancer survivor and PRPHT Community Health Worker. After overcoming cancer, Brunilda dedicated herself to guiding her community in Ponce toward healthier lifestyles. Her story underscores the lifesaving power of early detection and the impact of peer-driven education.

Training and Impact

These ambassadors will participate in an in-person training session on March 27 led by ACS. The program covers key cancer topics, including prevention strategies and clinical trials. Ambassadors will then work directly with community members to encourage proactive health measures that promote cancer risk reduction.

The project aims to reach thousands through workshops, informational sessions, and home visits, targeting the most prevalent cancers in Puerto Rico, based on mortality data from 2018-2022:

  • ​Men: Prostate cancer (16.2%), colorectal cancer (12.7%)
  • Women: Breast cancer (17.7%), colorectal cancer (12.2%)would impact grant funding for research institutions.

​Research indicates that 41.5% of the population born today in Puerto Rico may develop some type of cancer during their lifetime.

Strengthening Our Commitment

Tawana Thomas Johnson, senior vice president and chief diversity officer, highlighted the significance of this initiative, saying,

“We are thrilled to be making history by training health workers and community advocates in Puerto Rico for the first time in their native Spanish. This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to the Puerto Rican culture and community and underscores the critical importance of prevention in our united fight against cancer. As we prepare the Health Access Ambassadors in Puerto Rico, we are empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to drive positive change and improve health outcomes for generations to come. This collaboration is a testament to our dedication to improving health equity and empowering communities with the resources needed to prevent and detect cancer early.”

Puerto Rico Media Spotlight

Metro TV and behealth Oncología featured this inspiring initiative in Puerto Rico! Check out the coverage (in Spanish) to see the impact firsthand.​

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  • 2025 Volunteer Leadership Summit sessions now available for replay

    Several key sessions from the Volunteer Leadership Summit in January have been packaged for playback and are accessible for viewing. This year’s Volunteer Leadership Summit is an opportunity to bring together and help empower our Area Board leaders and other key volunteers to amplify our mission and revenue priorities in their local communities and beyond. Check out any of the following for a glimpse into this impactful annual event:

    • ​Keynote: State of the Society
      American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network interim CEO Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick shares a detailed look at the organization’s priorities and progress over the last year.
    • Keynote: Not Impossible 
      As a career producer and filmmaker, and now founder and CEO of Not Impossible Labs, Mick Ebeling has dedicated his life to tapping into the power of technology and story to change the world. 
    • Keynote: Sarah McDonald
      Besides years of experience in pivotal leadership roles within organizations ranging from corporate institutions to start-ups and scale-ups, Sarah McDonald’s recent life experiences battling cancer have contributed to her unique perspective and expertise on leadership, resilience, and speaking about hard things.
    • Keynote: From Purposeful Moments to Impactful Movements
      Sisters Shari Slate and Carla Andrews discuss the impacts of a personal cancer journey.
    • National Volunteer Leadership Award Presentation – Dr. Ella Kazerooni
    • National Volunteer Leadership Award Presentation – Suzy Lawrence
      Ella Kazerooni, MD, MS and Suzy Lawrence are honored as the 2024 recipients of the American Cancer Society Volunteer Leadership Award, the organization’s top volunteer award presented annually.
    • Panel Discussion: Leading With Purpose 
      This engaging panel features Shari Slate, global purpose and business transformation executive, Ted Kezios, SVP of people care at Cisco and Tawana Thomas Johnson, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer for the American Cancer Society. The conversation centers around how companies are becoming cancer-ready for their employees and families.

  • ACS becomes official charity to offer Presidential Volunteer Service awards

    ​​The President’s Volunteer Service Awards are an opportunity to honor outstanding volunteers and recognize the impact they make. The American Cancer Society is now certified to begin awarding these service awards to individuals, including a new Lifetime Achievement Award for qualifying students that have participated in more than 4000 hours of volunteer service to ACS over the course of their volunteer journey.

    Each May and June, ACS employees will have the opportunity to submit student nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Students that are selected will be awarded in late July locally and virtually at the annual ACS Campus Leadership Summit. In addition, recipients will receive a signed certificate, letter, and pin from the White House.

    Caitlyn Tanner from Upper Sandusky, OH, pictured above at left, is the first ACS recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award and was presented with this award recently. Caitlyn served in various local, regional and national roles at ACS and, most recently, as the Team Co-Lead of the volunteer National Campus & Youth Engagement Team. She is a graduate of Youngstown State University and works as a parole officer.

    “The opportunities I was given to make a difference across the country, meeting so many amazing volunteers and staff and to represent ACS -- I’m proud to be able to say that I led this team of amazing volunteers for two years and cannot wait to see what is accomplished next,” Caitlyn shared. 

    “Our students give so much of their personal time and resources because they know that ending cancer starts on campus. I am thrilled that ACS is now a certified organization to reward students with these incredible awards,” said Dillon Spencer, director, College and Youth Engagement, pictured above at right. “Presenting the first one to Caitlyn was the perfect choice for the years of service she has given, and I cannot wait to see who earns them next. I am so proud of the work of all our students that give so selflessly to ACS.”

  • ACS Social Media Policy is updated

    The American Cancer Society's Social Media Policy for Employees and Volunteers has been updated with new guidelines about proper use of social media for employees and volunteers. The full update can be found on Brand Central and is applicable to both personal and professional use of social media.

    Highlights of this updated policy include:

    • How to ensure you're sharing ACS-approved content
    • What it means to act with care in how you comment, content in your profile or bio, and more.
    • Best ways to protect the American Cancer Society

    If you have questions, please contact your ACS staff partner.


  • Volunteer Engagement Survey is here!

    ​Survey will be available Oct. 2 through Nov. 1.​

    We want to hear from you! Approximately 35,000 volunteers serving on Boards, national leadership teams, and patient support programs should be on the lookout for an email from feedback@opinion-inmoment.com with a link to the 2024 Volunteer Engagement Survey. Volunteers who receive the survey are asked to provide their honest, candid feedback about their experience volunteering for ACS. The results of the survey will help ACS understand how to improve the experience for all volunteers.

    This year’s survey will be sent by InMoment, an independent market research firm, who collect and manage the responses. Feedback will be kept confidential and used to provide overall insights. 

    Thank you in advance for completing the survey and providing us with valuable input. If you have any questions about the survey, please reach out to VolunteerEngagement@cancer.org. 



  • ACS partners with Giving Docs during National Make-A-Will month

    ​ACS team members and supporters are eligible for this free service.​

    August is National Make-A-Will month, and the American Cancer Society recently launched a new partnership with Giving Docs, which offers free will development, among other estate planning services. ACS team members and supporters can take advantage of this free service and quickly create (or update) a legally binding will, durable power of attorney and/or advance medical directive with zero cost or obligation. This resource is also unique in that it provides the option to leave a gift for the American Cancer Society, if inspired to do so.

    “About 67% of Americans die in testate, meaning they do not have a will. We often hear the common perception that creating a will is expensive, time-consuming, or emotionally challenging for individuals,” said Bobby Collier, senior vice president, Planned Giving. “This partnership between ACS and Giving Docs will help to overcome these barriers and allow ACS supporters to advance the values most important in their lives by providing a gift through estate planning.” 

    This opportunity is not limited to the month of August and anyone who is interested is encouraged to visit the Giving Docs website to get started. 

    “My husband and I put off creating a will mainly due to the cost quoted by our financial planner, which was more than $3,000. When I found out about the new opportunity through Giving Docs I immediately signed up,” said Lisa Bishop, managing director, Region Philanthropy. "The Giving Docs software was so easy to understand and navigate as we were creating the documents. I would recommend this benefit to anyone who has been putting off planning for the future and ensuring that your assets, and your family, are taken care of!”

    For more information about Planned Giving and estate planning, or to contact someone at ACS about these topics, visit cancer.org. 

    ​

  • Volunteer Engagement Survey identifies key strengths and opportunities

    ​Participation in 2023 annual survey grew 4% over previous year.​​​

    Many thanks to the more than 3,350 volunteers who took time to provide feedback by participating in the 2023 Volunteer Engagement survey, which is issued to a select group of committed volunteers each fall.

    “Survey participation increased by 4% year-over-year (YOY) and we hope that continues to grow,” said Ashley Merritt, senior director, Volunteer Experience. “We are committed to sharing these key learnings with our surveyed volunteers and building action plans to help address areas of opportunity to strengthen volunteer engagement across ACS and ACS CAN.” 

    For overall audience, some of the key findings include:

    • “Clarity of ACS priorities,” a key engagement driver, continues to increase (+4% YOY)
    • “Proud to work at ACS” (95%) and “Support ACS values” (93%) are the most agreed upon statements among volunteer leaders.
    • “I feel my voice is heard” remains flat at 82% for total volunteer leadership, pointing to an area of opportunity to strengthen and grow our engagement.
    • However, “I feel my voice is heard” increased 4% points among Event Leadership Team volunteers (78%), indicating that progress is being made for this segment of leaders. 

    For ACS CAN volunteer leaders, we saw positive movement across three important metrics:

    • “I feel my voice is heard” (83%)
    • “I can be successful” (88%)
    • “I am motivated by ACS priorities” (93%)

    Area board ranking improved for “I feel my voice is heard” but declined in other key drivers like “I feel recognized” and “I am making a difference” (both down 3% points), which are drivers the organization will focus on at the region level.

    As a next step, ACS leaders will take a deeper dive into role and geography specific survey data to glean additional insights that can help inform action plans to support and address our greatest opportunities. Consider this survey as part of an ongoing conversation between ACS and our volunteer leaders. If you have additional suggestions, feedback, or ideas we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to our volunteer engagement team via a secure inbox at VolunteerEngagement@cancer.org.



  • Becky VanLoon named National Volunteer Co-Lead for Relay For Life

    ​North Region leader brings more than 20 years of ACS volunteer experience to the role.

    On Aug. 20, Relay For Life leaders announced that Becky VanLoon, MBA, a 20+ year Relayer and 23-year kidney cancer survivor, has been selected as the next volunteer lead for Relay For Life.

    Becky, who is also a Voice of Hope, has participated in Relay For Life, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, and other American Cancer Society community fundraising events across seven states in her more than 20 years as a volunteer. She currently resides in Mason City, IA, and serves as the Relay For Life volunteer lead for the North Region, where she is known for her “North Stargazer” Relay For Life newsletter. When not volunteering for ACS, Becky works as the Marketing Manager at the North Wind Group, an environmental, construction, and engineering government contractor.

    “Becky’s passion and work ethic are contagious, and in her role over past year she has made Relay volunteers in the North Region and beyond feel supported and heard,” said Bryan Sherwood, senior director, Relay For Life, “I’m excited to partner with her to drive our Relay strategy across the country.”

    In this new role, Becky will also serve on the Nationwide Community Fundraising Leadership Team (NCFLT), representing Relay For Life. “Becky’s years of experience, genuine relatability and leadership skills will be a real asset to her new role as the National Relay Lead,” said Ruth Fitzsimmons, co-lead volunteer of the NCFLT.

    Becky will co-lead the team with Suzy Lawrence, who has been a National Relay Leadership Team lead since early 2023. 

    Please join us in congratulating Becky on her new role, and get to know her better with the interview below!

    20 Questions with Becky VanLoon 

    Would you say you’re more of an extrovert or an introvert?
    Everyone thinks I am an extrovert. I am actually an introvert. I crash after extroverting for a bit.

    What’s the phone app you use most?
    Probably my email and texting, but I have been playing a lot of Royal Match lately.

    How do you take your coffee?
    With lots of sugar, flavoring, and coconut milk.

    What TV show reminds you of your life?
    Little House on the Prairie - moving a lot and always starting over.

    What makes you feel at peace?
    The mountains and ocean waves.

    If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
    Fly-- I've even had a recurring dream about it since I was a kid.

    What song always gets you out on the dance floor?
    Nothing really…I will go with kids and friends to keep Relay hopping though.

    What are you currently reading?
    In paper it's a book for work called "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and going through a bunch of audiobooks lately, my favorite has been "The Watchmakers Daughter" by Lloyd Loftis.

    Where’s the next place on your travel bucket list and why?
    I have a couple on my list: Alaska (missing it big time), safari in South Africa (I want to see an elephant in the wild) and Norway (it's part of my heritage).

    What would be the title of your memoir?
    I already have one picked out so I can't tell you that until it's published ;) so I'll say "It's Been a Wild Ride."



  • Consider joining ACS CARES™ during National Volunteer Week

    ACS CARES™ community volunteers help provide support to people with cancer and their caregivers so they can better navigate the cancer experience with confidence. By connecting virtually one-on-one through our mobile app, these volunteers play an important role in easing the cancer journey for people in need. Interested in becoming a volunteer? Learn more on our volunteer community. 

    Here’s a message of thanks to our ACS CARES™ community volunteers.
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