power - American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

the
POWER
of
ADVOCACY
If one American CAN fight
cancer, a nation CAN rise
up and defeat it.
2008 Advocacy Accomplishments

Daniel E. Smith
President, ACS CAN
Dear Friends,
Congratulations to staff and volunteers nationwide on another great year. The American Cancer Society and its nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy
affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network SM (ACS CAN), have once again worked together to demonstrate the power of
advocacy in helping to enact lifesaving laws and policies that fight cancer.
In 2008, advocacy hit the road with the ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus, the largest grassroots mobilization in history around cancer issues. During
its six-month, 48-state, 44,000-plus mile journey, this “rolling petition” gathered more than 100,000 signatures from people who want cancer to be a
national priority.
After years of flat funding and outright cuts for federal cancer research and programs, the tide began to turn when new research dollars made their
way into a supplemental spending package. ACS CAN also worked with the One Voice Against Cancer coalition to launch the concept of a National
Cancer Fund. The fund would serve as a dedicated funding source for cancer research, prevention, early detection, and treatment.
We saw several historic milestones in the fight against tobacco. A bipartisan, veto-proof majority of the U.S. House of Representatives approved a
bill authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. Adult smoking rates fell below 20 percent for the first time since
the 1920s and smoke-free laws now cover nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population.
The Society and ACS CAN’s joint Access to Care campaign brought new collaborations with diverse partners. Policy development continued with
new policy principles on health care costs and prevention in the health care system. Efforts to expand access to care through state and federal
initiatives were ongoing.
The year also marked a new day in advocacy for the Society’s Great West Division when, on September 1, its advocacy program activities were
transferred to ACS CAN. ACS CAN now not only represents the national Society before the federal government, but also the 12 states of the Great
West Division on state and local advocacy issues.
Together, we are building a movement of people united in a mission to fight back against cancer through advocacy, a movement that believes if one
person can battle cancer, a nation can rise up to defeat it.
Together, we are building a movement
of people united in a mission to fight
back against cancer through advocacy,
a movement that believes if one person
can battle cancer, a nation can rise up
to defeat it.

ADVOCACY
Accomplishments
Table of Contents
Mission Statements........................3
Dedication ................................4
Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Advocacy Awards .........................6
The Power of Advocacy ....................7
National Leadership Summit/Lobby Day . . 10
Advocacy and Relay for Life...............11
Cancer Disparities........................12
Fight Back Express .......................13
Cancer Promise ..........................16
Access to Care. ...........................17
Michelle’s Law ............................20
Federal and State Highlights ..............21
State-by-State Highlights. .................26
Reducing Tobacco’s Toll ...................32
Donor Recognition. .......................33
CAN Opener .............................36
Special Thanks ...........................37
2

The American Cancer Society Mission
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.
The ACS CAN Mission
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American
Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed
to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage
elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN
gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and
tools they need to make their voices heard.
3

DEDICATION
Alan Mills
Advocacy Accomplishments 2008 is dedicated to our friend and colleague Alan
Mills, who lost his battle with cancer on February 20, 2008. All of us in advocacy
stand on Alan’s shoulders, and, while his life was all too brief, his impact was
truly immense.
Alan’s career with the American Cancer Society began in 1987 in the then-West
Virginia Division. In 1990, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he was one
of the founders of the Society’s National Government Relations Department.
Later, he moved to the Great Lakes Division, where he served as director of
Federal Government Relations. He and his team built a grassroots movement of
dedicated people from all walks of life that has become an important force in
Indiana and Michigan politics in recent years.
Alan led by example, and in 2004 he received the prestigious Jerry Maldavir
Award for Excellence in Advocacy, the highest advocacy honor given within ACS
CAN and the Society to staff. He will be missed by many people but he will not
be forgotten. He lives on through his beloved wife, Angie, and their children,
Noah and Jenna, and through his work. His memory will motivate many others
to fight every day with renewed energy and passion to eradicate cancer.
4

American Cancer Society
Leadership
Van Velsor Wolf
Chair of the Board
Elizabeth T.H. Fontham,
MPH, DrPH
President
John R. Seffrin, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
ACS CAN Leadership
ACS CAN Board of Directors, 2007-2008 ACS CAN Board of Directors, 2008-2009
Ray Bell
Robert T. Brodell, MD
Teri P. Cox, MBA
Lewis E. Foxhall, MD
Elmer Huerta, MD, MPH
Robert R. Kugler, Esq.
Mary Maryland, PhD
Karen A. Moffitt, PhD
Marion E. Morra, MA, ScD
Gary M. Reedy, Secretary
Christy A. Russell, MD
Peter S. Sheldon, Esq.
Gary Streit, Esq.
Stephen L. Swanson
Eric W. Taylor, MD
Phylecia Wilson
Robert E. Youle, Esq., Treasurer
Kathleen M. Bond
William H. Boykin, Jr., MD
Deborah J. Cornwall
Elizabeth T.H. Fontham, MPH, DrPH
Lewis E. Foxhall, MD
Laura J. Hilderley, RN, MS
Robert R. Kugler, Esq., Treasurer
Mary Maryland, PhD
Karen A. Moffitt, PhD
Gary M. Reedy, Secretary
Christy A. Russell, MD
Peter S. Sheldon, Esq.
Gary Streit, Esq.
Stephen L. Swanson
Eric W. Taylor, MD
Phylecia Wilson
Van Velsor Wolf
Laura J. Hilderley, RN, MS
Chair
Robert E. Youle, Esq.
Chair
John R. Seffrin, PhD
Chief Executive Officer, ACS CAN
5

Recognizing Excellence and Achievement:
2008 ACS CAN Advocacy Awards
The National Distinguished Advocacy Award*
ACS CAN’s highest national advocacy award, presented to
individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the
public policy arena
Outstanding Ambassador Constituent
Team Lead
Presented to volunteers who demonstrate superlative abilities
in the ambassador constituent team lead role
Outstanding Government Relations
Professional Award
Presented to a Society or ACS CAN government relations
professional for singular achievement in state advocacy
The Honorable Barbara Mikulski
United States Senate, Maryland
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
United States House of Representatives, Connecticut
The Honorable Jane Nelson
Texas State Senate
The Theodore C. Marrs Award*
ACS CAN’s highest honor for volunteer advocacy, presented
to individuals who consistently demonstrate excellence in
public policy
Gary Streit, Esq.
Iowa
Outstanding State Lead Ambassador
Presented to a volunteer who demonstrates exemplary leadership
in the state lead ambassador role
Lori Bremner
California
Marty Crapnell
Illinois
Marilyn Lesher
Kentucky
Robianne Schultz
Minnesota
Outstanding Volunteer Team
Presented to a group of volunteers that demonstrate strong
cohesion and cooperation in fighting cancer through advocacy
Ohio
The Jerry Maldavir Award
The highest advocacy honor for Society or ACS CAN advocacy
staff, presented to the individual who best embodies the passion,
dedication, and enthusiasm of the late Jerry Maldavir, a
former Society staff lobbyist
Angela T. Huber
Ohio
Russ Sciandra
New York
Outstanding Grassroots Professional Award
Presented to a Society or ACS CAN grassroots professional
for singular achievement in volunteer recruitment, education,
and mobilization
Sara Mannetter
Minnesota
Outstanding Government Relations
Team Award
Presented to a Society or ACS CAN team of state government
relations professionals for singular achievement in state advocacy
Texas
*An ACS CAN volunteer workgroup selected the National Distinguished Advocacy Award and Theodore C. Marrs Award recipients.
6

THE POWER
of Advocacy
Advocacy’s Role in the Fight Against Cancer
Conquering cancer is as much a matter of public policy as scientific discovery. Whether it’s increasing funding for cancer research
and programs, enacting smoke-free laws and raising tobacco taxes, or paving the way for more people to access quality, affordable
health care, government action is constantly required. That’s why the American Cancer Society and its nonprofit, nonpartisan
advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network SM (ACS CAN), work in concert to ensure that elected
officials across the country make cancer a top national priority.
While the Society and ACS CAN utilize applied policy analysis, direct lobbying, grassroots action, media outreach, and litigation
to accomplish advocacy goals, science remains paramount. Only evidence-based policy and legislative solutions are pursued.
Together, the Society and ACS CAN support a community-based grassroots network of cancer survivors, caregivers, volunteers,
staff, health care professionals, public health organizations, and other partners that provide the muscle to ensure that the cancer
community’s voice is heard in the halls of government.
7

Advocacy and ACS CAN
In 2001, cancer advocacy took a major step forward with the creation of ACS CAN. ACS CAN is
a movement uniting and empowering cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families by
giving them the training and tools needed to make them truly heard. ACS CAN is the force behind
legislative victories and policy successes that help save lives.
The Society and ACS CAN are among the most respected sources for evidence-based cancer and health
policy solutions for government officials, the media, and the public. ACS CAN is also a trusted source
of information about candidate positions on cancer-related issues. During the 2008 election cycle, ACS
CAN published voter guides to help citizens engage elected officials and advocate for an increased
focus on cancer. The voter guides were compiled based on responses to questionnaires sent to the
presidential candidates, 23 U.S. House campaigns, five U.S. Senate races, four gubernatorial contests,
and 14 state legislative matchups. Questions covered cancer research and programs, access to care,
prevention and early detection screenings, and tobacco control.
The final responses, along with ACS CAN’s positions, were posted on www.acscan.org to help
citizens learn about where their candidates stood on cancer issues. Thanks to the voter guides,
ACS CAN advocates have a baseline for holding those in office accountable as new legislative
sessions get under way.
The Heart of the Movement
As voters and constituents who care about cancer, Society and ACS CAN advocates actively engage
their elected officials. They write letters and send email. They make calls and meet with legislators.
They alert the media and rally for the cause. They speak out, knowing their voices are the ones that
most influence local, state, and federal officials. Advocacy accomplishments at any level of government
would not be possible without the muscle of a powerful grassroots movement.
At the heart of ACS CAN’s movement is an enhanced volunteer structure. Working closely with
Division staff partners, Ambassador Constituent Teams (ACT!) handle critical activities in each state
that support advocacy campaigns.
Each team member has a clearly defined role that contributes to an enhanced volunteer structure’s
overall function. Fifty state lead ambassadors (SLAs) provide leadership for their states’ activities
and serve as the main contact for their U.S. senators. In addition, there is a SLA representing the
District of Columbia and another representing Native Americans. Within each state, an ACT! Lead
guides the efforts for each congressional district. Working together with their SLAs and Division
staff partners, ACT! Leads recruit and support chairpersons who integrate advocacy and ACS CAN
into Relay for Life ® , fundraising, media outreach, and mobilization. These positions mirror the most
critical components of successful advocacy campaigns. Established in 2007, ACS CAN’s enhanced
volunteer structure is energizing existing volunteers, nurturing a new generation of leaders, and
inspiring others to join the ACS CAN movement.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
VOTER GUIDE
Where do the candidates stand on these important cancer research, prevention and treatment issues?
ACCESS TO CARE
What steps will you take to ensure that all Americans have access to the full continuum of quality cancer care, including prevention and early detection through treatment and follow-up care?
READ THE ANSWERS
TOBACCO CONTROL
As president, will you work with Congress to enact legislation (specifically, S. 625/H.R. 1108) to rein in the most egregious manufacturing and marketing practices of the tobacco industry,
and will you substantially increase the federal tobacco tax to help improve public health, save lives, and protect children from a lifetime of smoking?
READ THE ANSWERS
CANCER RESEARCH
In real dollars, federal funding for the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control has been cut dramatically over the past five years. As president, will you reverse this
trend and commit to a substantial increase in the budget for NCI cancer research and CDC cancer control programs during your administration?
READ THE ANSWERS
PREVENTION
As president, will you pledge to support full funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) and related treatment programs, and support H.R.
1738, the proposed Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Prevention and Treatment Program (CCEDPTP), both of which utilize screening tools that are known conclusively to save lives and
ensure that more Americans, especially the medically underserved, have greater access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment?
READ THE ANSWERS
8

“Advocacy offers me an opportunity to
fight back against a disease where I have
otherwise felt powerless.”
– Aimee Belgard, State Lead Ambassador, New Jersey
Knowledge Is Power
Empowerment begins with skills, tools, and information. Trainings and tactical support provide
the foundation on which the ACS CAN movement stands. In 2008, ACS CAN launched a virtual
community – www.acscan.org/volunteerstructure – where volunteers can find information, access
tools, and share best practices. Volunteers can also learn more about the issues through the site’s
online training modules on ACS CAN policy priorities. In addition, a portable, interactive volunteer
handbook was developed for state and district ACT! leads.
In May, ACS CAN hosted what has become a premier training forum, the State Lead Ambassador
Summit in Cleveland, Ohio. Sessions covered everything from health care reform to the latest cancer
science. Volunteers and staff partners participated in workshops to learn how to better prepare for
legislative meetings, raise funds for ACS CAN, and recruit and retain volunteers. In a first for the
summit, state lead ambassadors joined staff in facilitating more than half of the sessions.
New Communication Tools
As Americans have expanded the ways in which they communicate, ACS CAN has launched new
tools to engage volunteers. ACS CAN now has active pages on social networking sites such as
Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. Volunteers use these sites not only to learn about legislative
issues and take action, but also to recruit volunteers and share their cancer experience with friends
and family.
ACS CAN is also meeting the needs of the growing number of people text messaging with its
new mobile action network. By texting “volunteer” to 73585, a person can begin receiving
action alerts and legislative updates via cell phone. The ability to text is a successful tool for
recruiting volunteers who may not be at a computer when they first learn about ACS CAN.
Finally, ACS CAN significantly enhanced its Web site, acscan.org, to provide more information
about its activities and legislative campaigns.
Partnering for Success
Recognizing that partnerships and collaborations are critical to ensuring success, ACS CAN engages
in a variety of outreach activities that promote and leverage the organization and its mission. ACS
CAN works closely with conventional allies, including other members of the cancer community,
disease-specific patient-centered organizations, and public health groups. More recently, ACS CAN
has broadened its scope, seeking common ground with less traditional partners, including policy
institutes, professional associations, the business community, unions, health insurers, pharmaceutical
companies, and others in the health care industry. As a further evolution, a Corporate Membership
Program was established in 2008 to engage key corporate partners on a regular and substantive
basis and build and sustain mutually beneficial relationships.
Advocacy in the Courts
Court cases across the nation determine a wide range of issues affecting the Society and ACS CAN’s
shared mission, from the employment rights of cancer survivors to access to lifesaving therapies and
tobacco control. In 2008, the Society and ACS CAN launched the Judicial Advocacy Initiative (JAI) to
monitor and advocate in disputes that impact our goals. Partnering with private law firms that have
donated services, JAI seeks to uphold the rights of cancer survivors to work, and ensure that they
have access to medical care.
The Power of the ACS CAN Movement
In a world of competing policy concerns, it doesn’t matter how noble an individual cause might be;
crucial issues are often overlooked in the face of pressure from a variety of active constituencies.
To put cancer at the top of the nation’s agenda, only a movement that is organized and relentless
in prompting lawmakers to act will succeed. ACS CAN is that movement, working to prove if one
American can fight cancer, a nation can rise up to defeat it.
9

The ACS CAN National
Leadership Summit
and Lobby Day
“The feeling I had all day was that we are making a difference
and we have a very loud voice. It felt great.”
– Sandy Slocum, State Lead Ambassador, Minnesota
The 2008 ACS CAN National Leadership Summit and Lobby Day marked the second year
ACS CAN convened its enhanced volunteer structure for intensive trainings and congressional
lobbying visits. More than 600 ACS CAN ambassadors, district leads, and staff partners
from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, participated.
The 2½-day National Leadership Summit consisted of briefings and training sessions
that served as bookends to Lobby Day. Highlights included Society President Dr. Elmer
E. Huerta’s keynote speech; remarks by Time magazine’s chief political correspondent,
Karen Tumulty; and workshops to help volunteers and staff better pursue federal and
state advocacy goals.
On Lobby Day itself, a total of 434 congressional meetings were held, including visits to all
100 U.S. Senate offices. Advocates urged members to give the Food and Drug Administration
broad authority to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of tobacco products, and a strong
push was also made for increased funding for cancer research and programs. Support for new
legislation that would create a dedicated funding source to finance cancer research, prevention,
early detection, and treatment was sought as well.
Special guests at Lobby Day included five of the nation’s most successful men’s college
basketball coaches who take part in Coaches vs. Cancer ® , an effort that unites the Society
and the National Association of Basketball Coaches in the fight against cancer. The coaches
joined Society and ACS CAN CEO John R. Seffrin, PhD, and several members of Congress
at a rally calling on Congress to make cancer a top national priority. Reporters from the
Associated Press, Roll Call, and several local television affiliates reported on the event. The
coaches later joined ACS CAN volunteers and staff for legislative meetings.
10

Advocacy and Relay For Life ®
The partnership between Relay For Life ® , the Society’s signature event, and advocacy continues to thrive. With each passing year, more Relays integrate advocacy into their events and
more Relay volunteers embrace advocacy as another powerful means of fighting back against cancer. With more than 3.5 million participants nationwide, Relayers are the vanguard of
the ACS CAN movement.
• More than 30,000 electronic and handwritten Picture A Cure TM messages, in which individuals share their personal cancer stories and photos with lawmakers, were collected at
Relay For Life events nationwide. The testimonials, which were delivered to members of Congress in their districts and in Washington, D.C. during ACS CAN’s 2008 National Lobby
Day, also included an appeal to lawmakers to make health care reform a national priority.
• Relay For Life volunteers and participants sponsored 30,000 Fight Back Express bus miles, raising a total of $300,000 for ACS CAN and the Fight Back Express. More than 15,000
Relay For Life participants became members of ACS CAN.
• National Relay For Life Advisory Team volunteers joined the ACS CAN State Lead Ambassador Summit in May 2008 to devise new strategies and approaches that will further their
shared mission. They also took part in the Fight Back Express ribbon-cutting and launch in Cleveland, Ohio.
11

CANCER
Disparities
Despite notable advances in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment, a number of the uninsured, minorities,
and other medically underserved populations are still not benefiting from them. The nexus between disparities
and advocacy, the two pillars supporting the American Cancer Society’s leadership roles, is strong. The Society
and ACS CAN strive to help create, change, and influence public policies that significantly reduce such disparities
and promote outreach to diverse communities.
Ongoing Society and ACS CAN legislative efforts include creating and funding breast, cervical, and colon
cancer early detection and treatment programs for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women and men.
The Society-ACS CAN partnership is also fighting to expand Medicaid coverage for smoking cessation services,
as well as increased federal support for the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the
National Institutes of Health. Finally, ACS CAN continues to urge the federal government to place trained
“patient navigators” in health facilities to assess individual and community needs and guide patients through
our fragmented health care system.
The Society and ACS CAN’s Access to Care initiative (see p. 17) figures prominently. Minorities are more likely to
be inadequately insured or uninsured. Health coverage for the nation’s poorest citizens was also top of mind as
the Society introduced a policy framework from which to assess Medicaid reform proposals. ACS CAN convened
an expert panel to discuss issues specific to disparities in cancer care, part of ongoing efforts to educate volunteers
and staff. Interactive trainings also serve this purpose and highlight how ACS CAN’s grassroots movement can
be deployed most effectively.
The Intercultural Cancer Council, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and the National Council of La
Raza are just a few of the many partners that collaborate with the Society and ACS CAN on health policy, legislative
campaigns, and grassroots training. An especially close alliance has developed in recent years with the Phi Beta
Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and its Sigmas Waging War Against Cancer initiative. In 2008, the Society and ACS CAN
entered into new partnerships with the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
12

THE ACS CAN
Fight Back Express
A Vehicle for Change
On May 4, 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio, ACS CAN launched the largest grassroots mobilization campaign ever waged on the
issue of cancer as the ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus began a six-month journey through the continental United States.
The Fight Back Express was welcomed in communities large and small to educate, inspire, and unite concerned citizens
across the country around a core mission to make cancer a top national priority for legislators and candidates.
At 512 events in 480 communities, cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families shared their experiences and
voiced the need for the country to make dramatic changes in its approach to cancer. Citizens joined elected officials in
adding their signatures to the sides, front, back, and top of the bus, even signing the vehicle’s lights and wheel wells. The
Fight Back Express transformed into a “rolling petition” and a true vehicle for change.
Each stop on the bus tour was an opportunity to educate the public, lawmakers, candidates for elective office, and the
media about the importance of the government’s role as a critical partner in defeating cancer. Bus activities raised the
profile of ACS CAN’s state and federal priorities for citizens and elected officials alike: access to affordable, quality health
care; increased funding for prevention and early detection services; increased funding for cancer research; and stronger
tobacco control policies.
“I’ve signed many things as a
governor, but I’ve never signed
a bus!”
– The Honorable John Lynch,
Governor of New Hampshire
13

A Vehicle for Action
The Fight Back Express served as a mobile action center. Bus events not only recruited new ACS
CAN members, they also featured electronic Picture A Cure forms, featuring an individual’s photos
and cancer story. Completed forms were sent to elected officials to emphasize their role in the
fight against cancer.
Event attendees were invited to email their members of Congress or to respond to state and local action
alerts. There was also an opportunity for the public to use their mobile phones to text “Fight Back” to
ACS CAN to sign up for mobile alerts on critical federal and state priorities. Finally, in addition to signing
the bus, visitors put their names on ACS CAN’s petition to the presidential candidates, calling for access
to quality health care for all Americans.
The bus provided valuable exposure for ACS CAN. Each day people went to great lengths to
connect with the bus, literally stopping traffic on several occasions. Speaking of traffic, web
traffic on www.acscan.org was up 119 percent as people followed the bus through pictures
and the bus blog. And the media response was extraordinary, with stories running in 130 media
markets, reaching a potential audience of more than 65 million people. American Cancer Society
and ACS CAN staff and volunteers did yeoman’s work – planning bus stops, engaging elected
officials, sponsoring miles, alerting the media, taking photos, speaking at events, blogging, and,
of course, signing the bus itself.
14

Going the Distance
Fight Back Express Highlights
• The Fight Back Express traveled more than 44,000 miles, visiting all 48 continental
United States and Washington, D.C.
From coast to coast, the bus engaged, energized, and empowered tens of thousands of
volunteers and others who care about cancer. The Fight Back Express fulfilled its promise to
support the Society and ACS CAN’s shared mission by mobilizing the public to demand that
lawmakers make the fight against cancer a national priority.
• More than 100,000 people signed the bus, which was wrapped six times.
Signatures were preserved on more than 630 panels.
• A total of 512 bus events were held in 480 communities, including 46 state capitals.
• More than 600 federal, state, and local legislators visited the bus.
• Relay For Life ® volunteers and participants sponsored 30,000 bus miles, raising
a total of $300,000 for ACS CAN and the Fight Back Express.
• The Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) served as
a national bus sponsor. AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Genentech, and Pfizer
underwrote bus travel in five Society Divisions.
• ACS CAN’s Access to Care petition gathered more than 70,000 signatures.
• More than 3,000 personal cancer stories were sent to elected officials through
the electronic Picture A Cure TM program.
• Web traffic at acscan.org increased 119 percent with more than 63,000
bus-related hits.
• The Fight Back Express made the news in 130 media markets, generated
countless radio and print stories, and saw more than 320 television reports air,
reaching a potential audience of more than 65 million Americans.
15

CANCER
Promise
Introduced in 2006 and 2007, respectively, the
ACS CAN Congressional Cancer Promise and
American Cancer Society State Cancer Promise
provide a solid foundation for advocacy
achievements. Both Promises serve as rallying
points, specifically urging state and federal
legislators to make health system reform a
priority and to elevate and enhance prevention,
early detection, quality of life, and survivorship.
In addition, the Congressional Cancer Promise
calls for increased federal research funding.
At the national and state level, the Cancer
Promise serves as a “conversation starter.”
Cancer advocates use the Promises to educate
lawmakers and gain their commitment in
supporting Promise goals. Accountability comes
into play as Society and ACS CAN volunteers
put the force of their grassroots movement
behind efforts to ensure elected officials fulfill
their commitment.
16

“Harry and Louise”
ACCESS
to Care
While tremendous progress is being made in the fight against cancer, winning that fight depends on improving access to quality health care. Nearly
46 million people in America are uninsured. Another 25 million people have insurance that does not provide the coverage they need to protect them
from major financial burden upon a serious health diagnosis.
Meanwhile, although more than 60 percent of cancer deaths can be prevented, the current health care system focuses on treating people after they
get sick, rather than on keeping them well. To improve health outcomes and begin to control costs, more emphasis must be placed on wellness and
disease prevention.
In 2006, the American Cancer Society’s National Board of Directors formally recognized that its goals could not be realized without fundamental
change in the health care system, and it articulated a vision for improving access to care. To make that vision a reality, the Society and ACS CAN
launched a nationwide public education initiative that leverages a variety of enterprise-wide resources. By tackling these issues, there is enormous
potential to improve access to quality health care for all Americans – bringing us closer to a future where cancer is no longer a major health issue.
Raising Awareness
The Society has a long history of educating the public on important cancer issues. Raising public awareness about the lack of access to affordable, quality
health care follows in this tradition. The Society and ACS CAN are elevating the debate by framing access to care issues through the “cancer lens,”
presenting a clear picture of how pervasive and pernicious the lack of access to health care can be. Key stakeholders from the government, private, and
nonprofit sectors alike have come to appreciate how the cancer lens captures and frames the issues in an easily understood manner.
In 2008, the Society and ACS CAN looked to the previous year’s successes and built upon them. The ACS CAN Fight Back Express promoted the access
message to the media, elected officials, and the public during its cross country journey (see p. 13). The Society also addressed access to care issues through the
17

cancer lens in testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Health Subcommittee
on treatment barriers and financial burdens inadequately insured patients and survivors face.
In promoting the issue, the Society and ACS CAN strive to be “honest brokers.” Evidence-based
policy solutions are what truly matter. Society and ACS CAN CEO John Seffrin, PhD, argued that
partisan politics must be set aside to accomplish true reform in an op-ed that appeared in the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe (signed with Don Gudaitis, CEO of the Society’s New
England Division), and on the Minneapolis Star Tribune Web site.
Finding Common Ground
While the Society and ACS CAN’s public awareness campaign kept the concerns of the cancer
community at the forefront, it also demonstrated a larger commitment to building consensus.
New collaborations led to a joint ACS CAN-Families USA media briefing on state insurance protections
and ACS CAN sponsorship of an oncology conference with Avalere Health, a health care strategy
and policy group. ACS CAN also co-sponsored a congressional briefing on health insurance basics
with the BlueCross BlueShield Association and the Alliance for Health Reform, a nonpartisan nonprofit
dedicated to quality health coverage. Perhaps most significantly, ACS CAN was the sole
patient advocacy group to participate in the Health Reform Dialogue, an umbrella group of 20
major health care community stakeholders seeking common ground.
Following the Society’s highly regarded 2007 Access to Care advertising campaign, ACS CAN
joined with a small group of organizations representing a range of approaches to reform in a
national television and Internet campaign aired during the Democratic and Republican national
conventions. The spots reintroduced “Harry and Louise,” infamous characters first seen in 1994
working to defeat health care reform legislation. But in 2008 they urged the next president and
Congress to make the issue a top priority. The Associated Press, The Washington Post, ABC, CBS,
NBC, and several Capitol Hill publications reported on the launch.
In early 2009, ACS CAN and several nontraditional partners with a common interest in repairing
the system launched a new national advertising campaign. The ads make the case that fixing
health care is critical to fixing the economy and emphasize the tremendous cost to society in doing
nothing. The campaign is another opportunity to urge the new president and Congress to address
health care reform right away.
Policy Solutions
The Society’s 2007 statement of principles and supporting evaluative tools defined its view of what
constituted meaningful insurance reform. The Society’s Divisions drew upon them in Division-wide task
forces and in states actively considering reform. But addressing access requires a look at the full cancer
continuum. In 2008 new principles addressing prevention and cost issues pushed beyond the notion that
access to care is solely a function of insurance coverage.
The current health care delivery system is strongly focused on treating conditions such as cancer,
but more emphasis on wellness and disease prevention is needed to improve outcomes. A strong
and sustained societal investment in prevention is needed at the individual, community, and system
levels to change the nation’s mindset and reduce cancer incidence and mortality. To build a stronger
case, a volunteer-led ACS CAN policy review group (PRG) developed principles centered on how to
transform the role of prevention in the health system.
A greater focus on prevention ties directly in to managing skyrocketing health care costs. Simply
cutting or eliminating programs or coverage can actually exacerbate the situation. A statement
of principles on the role and consideration of health care costs, also developed by a volunteer-led
“The days, months, and years that
screenings are not made available
are the years that are stolen from
someone’s life.”
– George Blough, Ambassador Constituent
Team Lead, West Virginia
18

PRG, provides a framework to consider the problem differently. The principles affirm the Society
and ACS CAN’s belief that clinical and economic evidence can be used to both improve the quality
of health care and reduce costs.
Taken together, the new principles lay a foundation for improving health care delivery and provide
a basis for using health care resources more equitably. In this way, access to care is linked to efforts
to reduce health disparities. Whether stemming from race or socioeconomic status, disparities in
health care are numerous. Closing these additional gaps is critical to progress (see p. 12).
A Helping Hand
The Health Insurance Assistance Service (HIAS) offers cancer patients who call the Society’s National
Cancer Information Center a free resource that connects them with health insurance specialists.
HIAS specialists handle inquiries about health insurance, coverage dynamics, and state programs – all
specific to the caller’s needs.
Since it began in 2005, HIAS has received more than 20,000 calls from the 36 states it serves and the
District of Columbia. Information from the calls is captured in an internal database that helps identify
patients whose experiences illustrate problems in the current insurance system and notes callers who
consent to talk to the media so their stories reach a wider audience. Callers continue to be featured
in the national media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News online,
CNN online, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.
One caller of note was Karen Dove, a stage III ovarian cancer patient who struggled for two years
to obtain access to care, only to see her family financially devastated as a result of her treatment.
Six months after she passed away, her story was told in “Critical Condition,” a documentary that
debuted on PBS stations nationwide in September 2008.
Taking Action
For ACS CAN advocates, taking action is rooted in knowledge of the issues, personal experience
with cancer, and the know-how to make their voices heard. Volunteers and staff became well
versed on access issues at in-person and online training throughout the year. They paired that
knowledge with skills and tools acquired through ACS CAN, and then took the message directly
to legislators in Washington, D.C., on Lobby Day (see p. 10).
Access to care was a constant theme throughout the ACS CAN Fight Back Express’ six-month
journey, as well as the election season (see p. 13). Many voters were able to look elected officials
and candidates in the eye and ask them their views at one of more than 500 local events. ACS CAN
voter guides offered citizens in 12 states the chance to determine where candidates for federal
and state office stood. A presidential voter guide gave every American an opportunity to learn
about candidate views at the top of the ticket.
Additional efforts included enhancements to the Access to Care page on acscan.org, which educates
external audiences and encourages them to take action. An online petition to the presidential
candidates urging them to tackle health care reform was heavily promoted throughout the Fight
Back Express tour, and collected more than 70,000 signatures.
Ongoing Efforts
Ultimately, it will take systemwide reform to overcome many barriers to care. In the meantime,
incremental steps are being taken. Society Divisions are actively engaged as states continue to
move on their own to expand state health insurance programs, to create or bolster screening and
treatment options for uninsured patients, and to pass new legislation or defend existing laws that
guarantee lifesaving screenings and care.
At the national level, ACS CAN shares its expertise with health reform proponents in Congress
and advocates for interim steps that expand access. Achievements include a new law that extends
eligibility for the “Welcome to Medicare” checkup for new beneficiaries from six months to a year
and waives copays and deductibles for the visit. And ACS CAN and college students across the
country scored a major victory with the passage of Michelle’s Law (see sidebar, p. 19).
Active campaigns continue on other fronts, such as increasing funding for the National Breast and
Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), which screens low-income, underinsured,
19

Michelle’s Law
Signed into law on October 9, 2008, Michelle’s Law requires insurance companies to cover college students on medical
leave for up to a year. The law enables ill students to focus on their recovery and not whether their insurance covers it.
Michelle’s Law is named for Michelle Morse, a New Hampshire college student diagnosed with colon cancer. Her
family’s health insurance would not cover her unless she was a full-time student, forcing her to take a full class
schedule while undergoing chemotherapy.
After Michelle passed away, her mother, Society volunteer Ann Marie Morse, decided that no other student should
face the same challenge. She helped pass Michelle’s Law in her state and was a leader in seeing a federal version
enacted. ACS CAN and several thousand college students and volunteers joined Michelle’s family in the fight.
• ACS CAN worked with Colleges Against Cancer SM (CAC) to host student health issue forums and to lobby
college presidents to write letters in support of the legislation.
• In the summer of 2008, advocates were prompted to text “Michelle” to 73585 on their cell phones.
Participants received follow-up information, bill status updates and frequent calls to action. Subscribers
to the mobile list were the first to know about the law’s final passage.
and uninsured women and offers them a gateway to treatment (see p. 24). The drive to
establish a national colon cancer screening and treatment initiative modeled after NBCCEDP
is gaining momentum. Substantial funding for the National Center on Minority Health
and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health remains a priority.
Moving Forward
State-level activities are sure to continue in earnest and increase in volume. Furthermore,
with the election of a new president and Congress, 2009 presents perhaps the best
opportunity in decades to repair a broken health care system. The potential to save lives
and reduce suffering through system-wide change is tremendous. As a result of the
strategic and timely Access to Care initiative, the Society and ACS CAN have emerged as
visible leaders in a unique position to work across the spectrum of health care interests.
• In response to ACS CAN action alerts, thousands of students called and emailed their U.S. representatives
and senators and joined the fight through ACS CAN’s “Michelle’s Law Cause” on Facebook. ACS CAN also
sent an action alert to volunteers in states with targeted senators in advance of the Senate vote.
• CAC chapters distributed and collected more than 5,000 petitions and delivered them to lawmakers during
congressional recesses and on ACS CAN’s National Lobby Day.
• To build support, ACS CAN partnered with a diverse group of organizations that included the cancer
community, health and patient advocacy groups, health professionals, insurers, and education associations.
• College newspapers across the country reported on the passage of Michelle’s Law and quoted
ACS CAN spokespersons.
As in all of our advocacy work, evidence-based principles and evaluative tools determine
whether a legislative proposal meets or falls short of the Society and ACS CAN’s standards,
and whether a bill is endorsed or opposed. As always, the Society and ACS CAN will be
scrupulously nonpartisan and never endorse candidates for office, political parties, or their
health plans and platforms. This approach, however, is not tantamount to passivity. Moving
forward, the Society and ACS CAN will lead the way, achieve results, and make a major
contribution by emphasizing the importance of quality, evidence-based care that prevents
cancer, detects and treats cancer effectively, and enhances quality of life.
20

Federal and State
HIGHLIGHTS
Advocacy’s contribution is underscored by the fact that, along with the elimination of disparities, it serves as a pillar supporting the
American Cancer Society’s nationwide leadership roles. The Society has identified the roles as areas where it can have the most
impact: supporting high-impact research; preventing cancer and detecting it in its earliest stages; fostering better decision-making
through information; and improving quality of life for cancer patients, caregivers and survivors. Advocacy efforts, including those
funded through Society grants to ACS CAN, are targeted within these roles to achieve maximum results.
Research
• At the urging of ACS CAN and its partners, Congress provided the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with $150 million in
supplemental funding for the 2008 fiscal year. With passage in the Senate uncertain, ACS CAN volunteers participated in a
National Day of Action, sending email and making phone calls to 15 key senators asking for their support. Additional grassroots
activities included Fight Back Express bus events in several of the senators’ home states, and circulating petitions at bus and
Relay For Life ® events. Of the 15 targeted senators, 13 voted for the bill.
• Congressional appropriators proposed $1.1 billion in new funding for NIH for the 2009 fiscal year, a nearly four percent
increase and the largest jump in six years. More than 350,000 volunteers were invited to participate in a second National Day
of Action around the measure. Although the 2009 spending bill was not completed before the 110th Congress adjourned,
ACS CAN resumed its push for the allocation when the new Congress convened.
21

• ACS CAN volunteers nationwide held a record number of watch parties during the president’s
State of the Union address in January 2008. These gatherings shined a spotlight on the need
for sustained increases at the NIH, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities,
and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
• ACS CAN continued to be the driving force behind One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC), a coalition
of cancer-related advocacy groups supporting funding for NIH, NCI, and the CDC.
• Legislation to create a National Cancer Fund, based on an idea conceived by ACS CAN and
OVAC, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The fund would act as a dedicated
resource for cancer research, prevention, early detection, and treatment.
• ACS CAN briefed national health policy reporters on polling showing overwhelming public
support for the National Cancer Fund. Stories ran in Politico, Congressional Quarterly, and
Oncology Times, as well as in Media General news service outlets.
Prevention and Early Detection
• Congress overrode a presidential veto to enact legislation extending the availability of the
“Welcome to Medicare” physical from six months to one year, and to waive copays and
deductibles for the visit. The law also allows the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
to approve new preventive services in Medicare without congressional authorization.
• For the first time, HRSA awarded almost $2.4 million in Patient Navigator Program grants
nationwide to eligible organizations. ACS CAN is a longtime champion of the program, which
will place trained “navigators” in health facilities to assess patient and community needs, and
guide patients through the health care system.
• ACS CAN persuaded Medicare to add prevention measures to its physician quality reporting
program, which will improve access to colorectal and breast cancer screenings.
• Through their ongoing partnership with the American Heart Association and American Diabetes
Association, the Society and ACS CAN promoted quality health and physical education in
schools as effective disease prevention strategies.
Breast
• ACS CAN continued its campaign to increase funding for the National Breast and Cervical
Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) (see p. 25).
• Illinois became the first and only state to fully cover all women eligible for the NBCCEDP.
• Hawaii and South Carolina provided state matching funds for the NBCCEDP for the first time.
• Twenty states increased the state portion of the state-federal funding match for breast and
cervical cancer screening programs.
“We have to speak up at every
step in the process and remind
lawmakers that cancer matters
to their constituents.”
– Patty Avery, State Lead Ambassador, Indiana
22

Colon
• ACS CAN built momentum for the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment
Act (HR 1738), securing 161 congressional co-sponsors, attracting support from 30 partner
organizations, and winning passage of a supportive resolution in the U.S. House. The bill would
create a national community-based program for colorectal cancer screening and treatment,
based on lessons learned from the breast and cervical cancer program.
• ACS CAN’s “Pain in the Butt” ad urging support for HR 1738 ran in Capitol Hill publications.
Congressional staffers surveyed as part of a study on advertising effectiveness praised the ad for
its edgy and eye-catching message.
• ACS CAN fought to maintain inclusion of $25 million in the U.S. Senate’s health appropriations
bill for a CDC colorectal cancer screening pilot for uninsured adults. These funds will continue
to prepare the CDC for passage of a national program providing colorectal cancer screening
and treatment.
• Four states – Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, and Pennsylvania – passed laws requiring insurers to
cover colorectal screenings. Twenty-six states plus the District of Columbia now have such laws.
• A growing number of states
have joined Colorado, Maryland,
Delaware, and New York in
enacting comprehensive
statewide colorectal screening and
treatment for uninsured adults. In
2008, Kentucky and Maine passed
legislation to establish similar
programs, although funding was
not allocated.
• ACS CAN provided Medicare
officials and state insurance
commissioners with information
about the Society’s updated
colorectal cancer screening guidelines
and urged both groups to
cover newly recommended tests.
• In May and June, ACS CAN
volunteers sent Mother’s Day and
Father’s Day e-cards to family and
friends, urging them to join the
fight to increase access to colon
cancer screenings.
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
WE ARE GOING TO BE A
PA I N
IN THE
BUTT
ABOUT THIS.
COLON CANCER IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATHS. THIS COULD BE EASILY
AVOIDED WITH ROUTINE SCREENINGS. If everyone over 50 was screened, we would reduce deaths by 50
percent or more and significantly reduce the $8 billion spent annually in treatment costs. Now there’s a bill that
can save lives by increasing access to screenings for uninsured Americans. Congress, it’s time to act. Support
HR 1738 – Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act.
Pass HR 1738. SAVE LIVES.
acscan.org
Lung Cancer
• ACS CAN worked to pass legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration the
authority to regulate tobacco products and how they are marketed to children. (see p. 24).
• ACS CAN, Society Divisions, and their public health partners continued state and local efforts
to reduce tobacco’s deadly toll through smoke-free laws, higher tobacco taxes, and strong
tobacco cessation, prevention, and control policies (see p. 32).
• ACS CAN continued to advocate for an increase in the federal tobacco tax, bringing the tax to
more than $1, to pay for an expanded State Children’s Health Insurance Program, setting the
stage for passage in the next Congress.
• The Society and other health partners filed a “friend of the court” brief in Altria v. Good, a
case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of public health by
allowing lawsuits filed in state courts against tobacco companies for deceptive marketing
practices associated with light cigarettes to proceed.
• The South Carolina State Supreme Court upheld a local smoke-free ordinance against a legal
challenge. The Society and its partners filed a “friend of the court” brief on behalf of the
community seeking to implement its smoke-free law.
• With input from ACS CAN, the Federal Trade Commission rescinded its 40-year-old policy on
labeling of supposed “reduced-risk” cigarettes, concluding that the nicotine and tar yields on
tobacco product labels are misleading, thereby reducing the industry’s ability to deceive current
smokers and addict youth.
• The Society and other health partners continued their role as “intervenors” in the U.S.
Department of Justice’s case against the tobacco industry for defrauding the American people
in marketing light cigarettes.
• ACS CAN convened a tobacco cessation summit, gathering medical, scientific, and health
policy experts to define priority issues.
23

Information
• ACS CAN released the sixth annual How Do You Measure Up? report on state legislative activity. A radio media tour promoting the report
reached almost 30 million listeners. Interviews were featured on stations owned by CNN, ABC, and The Wall Street Journal, in addition to
stations in major media markets.
• ACS CAN convened an expert panel on cancer disparities in the health care system to educate staff and volunteers and explore policy solutions.
• Through the Judicial Advocacy Initiative (see p. 6), attorneys from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission trained information
specialists at the Society’s National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) on how to help cancer patients and survivors experiencing discrimination.
• ACS CAN launched two newsletters: a monthly update for partner groups and others on ACS CAN activities and membership opportunities,
and Policy Matters, a quarterly that highlights evidence-based health policy solutions.
A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity
to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality
July 2008
• Every senator and representative in Congress received an ACS CAN cancer resource kit to assist them in discussing cancer with constituents.
Quality of Life
• The U.S. House unanimously passed the National Pain Care Policy Act, legislation that can help patients experiencing pain from cancer and its
treatments. ACS CAN led a coalition of 130 organizations in support of the bill and ACS CAN advocates nationwide sent thousands of emails
to Congress.
Saving Women’s Lives
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides low-income, uninsured, and inadequately
insured women with access to lifesaving cancer screenings and offers them a gateway to treatment. Unfortunately, fewer than one
in five eligible women benefit from this community-based screening program. Lack of funding means millions of women may not
get diagnosed until their cancer is at an advanced and less treatable stage. The Society and ACS CAN are leading the way to fully
fund the program.
Someone Isn’t Getting Screened
What if it
were me?
• Otis Brawley, MD, the Society’s chief medical officer, and Society volunteer Gail Carey, a former program participant, testified
before Congress in support of NBCCEDP.
• ACS CAN and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer ® partnered on a campaign in which Strides participants were given mirrors
to ask themselves “What if it were me? What if I lacked the money and the opportunity to have a lifesaving cancer screening?”
Because of inadequate
funding, only 1 in 5 eligible
women gets lifesaving
breast cancer screening.
• Making Strides participants nationwide demanded more funding and support in more than 60,000 postcards delivered to
Congress during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
24

• The Society teamed with the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure
to underwrite the third annual nationwide report card evaluating state pain policies. In the
past year, seven states improved their grades, with Georgia going from a D+ to a B. Overall,
33 states received a B or better and five states earned A’s.
• Ohio and the District of Columbia passed laws requiring insurers to cover routine care costs in
clinical trials. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia now guarantee this coverage.
• To promote more balanced pain policies, ACS CAN awarded grants to five states to support
better pain management activities and also designed a prescription monitoring program
toolkit for state advocates.
• ACS CAN partnered with the Society’s NCIC to launch a pain education project that helps our
constituents learn how to talk about pain with their health care team and also gathers stories
to support federal and state pain advocacy efforts.
• The Society and ACS CAN worked with the Social Security Administration to launch the
Compassionate Allowances Initiative, a pilot that will enable people with certain cancers and rare
diseases to obtain disability benefits within days, rather than the current average wait of weeks
or months.
• At the urging of ACS CAN, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services added a new drug
compendium to its reference tools for determining off-label cancer drug coverage. The move
will give patients more treatment options.
• A federal appeals court ruling on the Rehabilitation Act, the federal government’s version of
the Americans with Disabilities Act, strengthened protections for cancer survivors with a record
of disability. The Society filed a “friend of the court” brief on behalf of the plaintiff, a cancer
survivor, and was cited in the ruling.
Stopping Big Tobacco
ACS CAN continues to be a leader in building momentum to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The act would give the Food
and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products and stop tobacco companies from marketing to children. Historic milestones reached
in 2008 prove the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN’s voices were heard.
• The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill by a bipartisan, veto-proof majority of 326-102. The vote marked the first time the legislation had
come to the House floor in the 10 years since it was first introduced.
• In another first, a filibuster-proof majority of 60 U.S. senators signed on as bill cosponsors by the end of 2008.
SENATORS, IT’S
TIME TO CHOOSE.
It’s time for the Senate to pass FDA regulation of tobacco products and put our
children first. Each day the Senate delays, 4,000 more children targeted by Big Tobacco
smoke their first cigarette. By supporting FDA regulation of tobacco products, including
the authority to crack down on marketing to kids, Congress can protect children from the
country’s leading cause of preventable death. Our children can’t afford to wait.
SENATORS, PLEASE PROTECT OUR KIDS.
PASS S.625, FDA REGULATION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, NOW.
acscan.org
• In the days before the House vote, ACS CAN advocates sent thousands of email and made phone calls in support of the legislation. ACS CAN also
mobilized volunteers through text messages and alerts to ACS CAN members on Facebook and MySpace for the first time.
• ACS CAN utilized its volunteer structure throughout the campaign as ACS CAN and the Society’s Division staff partners notified state lead ambassadors,
ambassador constituent team leads, and others to call Congress through 1-888-NOW-I-CAN.
• The Society and ACS CAN were credited numerous times throughout the House debate, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus cited the Society and
its then president, Elmer Huerta, MD, MPH, for urging caucus members to vote yes.
• ACS CAN ran print and online advertisements throughout the spring and summer in key Capitol Hill publications, targeted state newspapers,
geographically targeted news sites, and blogs. Online advertisements generated more than six million views.
25

“Our successes keep me energized. These victories
remind me that targeted, organized advocacy
State-by-State
HIGHLIGHTS
does bring about effective change.”
– Bill Evans, State Lead Ambassador, Tennessee
Alabama
The American Cancer Society and its partners
held a breast cancer lobby day and press
conference at the state capitol. As a result,
$400,000 was restored to the state’s breast and
cervical early detection program after being cut
in the governor’s budget.*
A $100,000 appropriation for prostate screenings
for the underserved was leveraged into
an opportunity to create a similar program
offering colorectal screenings in the state’s
primary care centers.*
Key state House and Senate committees passed
smoke-free bills, the farthest such legislation has
ever moved in the state. The Society waged an
intense grassroots campaign in an effort that
included eight lobby days, a Relay Rally Day at
the state house, petitions, and attendance at a
House hearing. The governor has promised to
sign the bill once the full legislature approves it.
Alaska
Society advocates protected $250,000 in state
funding for the breast and cervical cancer early
detection program.*
Juneau, the state’s capital, implemented the
final phase of its comprehensive smoke-free
workplace law, including bars. Society volunteers
were instrumental in fighting off attempts
to weaken this law.
Alaska’s strong and sustained tobacco control
efforts led to a 20 percent drop in adult smoking
since 1996, resulting in about 8,000 fewer
tobacco-related deaths and $300 million in
averted medical costs. Youth smoking has
declined too, with rates among Alaska Native
youth showing the most dramatic decrease.*
Alaska invested an additional $1 million in tobacco
prevention programs, for a total of $8.5 million.
Arizona
Society volunteers and supporters defeated
legislation that would have allowed out-ofstate
insurance companies to disregard coverage
requirements for cancer screening tests.*
Despite Arizona’s $2 billion deficit, Society
advocates succeeded in reducing cuts to the
state’s breast and cervical cancer early detection
program. In addition, the Society ensured that
approximately $100,000 collected annually
through the state’s breast cancer license plate
program went toward the breast and cervical
cancer early detection program and was not
diverted for other purposes.*
The state Medicaid program now covers smoking
cessation medications.*
The Society led the fight to prevent money from
the voter-protected Tobacco Tax and Healthcare
Fund and Health Education account from being
transferred to other programs.
Arkansas
No regular legislative session in 2008.
The Society, Arkansas Cancer Coalition, and
Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus held a
“Dialogue on Cancer” to identify gaps in access
to care and recommend policy remedies.*
Preliminary findings for a two-year pilot program
that screened and treated 400 underserved
people for colorectal cancer showed significant
improvements in health outcomes as well as
cost savings. The Society formed a committee to
draft legislation that would create a permanent
statewide program.
California
The Society initiated and funded community
forums in 11 metropolitan areas that drew more
than 1,000 community leaders to collaborate
on access to care policy solutions.*
* Denotes initiative addressing disparities and/or access to care.
26

Oakland passed one of the nation’s most comprehensive
local smoke-free ordinances banning
smoking in many outdoor spaces. In addition,
smoking policies must be disclosed for multi-unit
housing.
Society advocates thwarted a proposal to allow
the California State Teachers Retirement Fund, the
nation’s second largest pension fund, to reverse
its policy of not investing in tobacco stocks.
California became the first state in the nation
to require chain restaurants to post caloric
information on menus and order boards.
Colorado
Authorization for the state’s breast and cervical
cancer program, which was set to expire, was
extended five years.*
A new state law requires insurance companies
to cover the full range of colorectal screenings
according to federal prevention guidelines, as
well as for people less than 50 years of age
with a family history of colorectal cancer and/or
related conditions. Colorado’s law also waives
deductibles for screening tests and caps consumer
out-of-pocket expenses in HMOs at 10 percent
of total screening costs.*
The Teen Tobacco Use Prevention Act requires
store clerks to ask people buying tobacco products
who appear under 30 years of age for photo
identification. The new law also makes youth
possession of tobacco products illegal.
Connecticut
The state established a Minority Health Advisory
Commission to explore and eliminate health
disparities in minority populations.*
The governor signed legislation authorizing the
allocation of up to $6 million annually from the
state’s Tobacco Trust Fund for prevention and
cessation programs.
The state Medicaid program now covers hospice
services.*
Legislation to ban lead, asbestos, and other harmful
chemicals from children’s toys was enacted.
Delaware
Society volunteers defeated a bill allowing health
insurers to sell “bare bones” plans that disregard
cancer screening coverage guarantees.*
Despite a $300 million budget shortfall, funding
for the Delaware Cancer Consortium’s policy recommendations
remained level at $16.2 million.*
Society screening guidelines were incorporated
into the state’s existing colorectal cancer coverage
law.*
Delaware maintained its allocation of $10.4 million
for the state’s tobacco control program.
District of
Columbia
The District’s cigarette tax increased to $2 per
pack. Most of the new revenue will be used
to add about 15,000 residents to the District’s
public health plan. No pre-existing conditions
clause applies and premiums are capped at
three percent of the resident’s total income.*
A total of $2.25 million was appropriated to fund
obesity reduction, early detection programs,
and breast, colorectal, oral, and prostate cancer
outreach, and prostate cancer treatment.*
The District Council unanimously approved,
and the mayor signed, legislation requiring
health insurers to cover all routine patient care
costs for individuals in clinical trials.*
Florida
The state allocated $18.9 million for peerreviewed
competitive research on cancer and
other tobacco-related illnesses.
Society advocates successfully sought $57.9
million in the state budget for tobacco prevention,
education, and cessation.
Georgia
Society advocates defeated legislation encouraging
insurers to offer high-deductible,
consumer-driven health plans that failed to
guarantee cancer screening coverage.*
The Society worked to defeat a bill that
allowed health insurance products sold online
to circumvent laws guaranteeing coverage of
cancer screening. The bill also permitted insurers
to “cherry pick” the healthiest individuals,
which would result in cancer patients and
survivors being denied coverage.*
The Cancer State Aid program received an
additional $1.4 million.*
The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation
to create a committee to review tobacco control
program best practices and funding levels.
Unfortunately, the governor vetoed the bill.
Georgia’s ranking on a nationwide pain policy
report card went from a D+ to a B, thanks to
the Society’s work with partner organizations
and the Georgia Composite State Board of
Examiners to amend medical board guidelines
on pain management.*
Hawaii
Hawaii allocated $150,000, its first contribution
ever, to the breast and cervical cancer early
detection program.*
Society advocates defended attempts to weaken
the state’s comprehensive smoke-free law
which, along with the state’s high cigarette tax,
and well-funded tobacco control programs,
helped reduce youth smoking rates. Since
2005, smoking among high school students
fell from 12.6 percent to 9.7 percent and went
from 4.9 percent to 4.2 percent for middle
school students.
The state passed legislation extending the time
period that prescriptions for pain medications
can be filled.*
Idaho
Society advocates ensured that budgets for the
breast and cervical screening program, Central
27 * Denotes initiative addressing disparities and/or access to care.

Tumor Registry, and Cancer Control Fund were
not cut.*
The Society’s concerted effort to expand colorectal
screening access resulted in all state- regulated
insurance carriers committing, in writing, to cover
the full range of early detection tests. Reported
denials of coverage decreased from an average
of 15 a month to none in 2008.*
In a vote of seven to one, the Senate Education
Committee resoundingly rejected precedentsetting
legislation to divert millions of dollars
from the state’s tobacco settlement fund.
The state increased tobacco control program
funding from $1.4 million to $2.5 million.
Illinois
With an allocation of $5 million in new state
funds, Illinois became the first and only state
to offer all eligible women access to lifesaving
breast and cervical cancer screenings.*
The state legislature passed a bill to make digital
mammography available through Medicaid.
The bill also creates a patient navigation pilot.*
The Society and its allies defeated seven separate
attempts to weaken the Smoke Free Illinois Act,
which went into effect on January 1, 2008, and
supported legislation clarifying enforcement rules.
The state House of Representatives passed
legislation providing prostate and testicular
cancer treatment coverage for the uninsured
through Medicaid.*
Indiana
The city of Elkhart adopted a comprehensive
smoke-free ordinance, with bars and establishments
for people 21 and older covered
starting in 2009.
The city of Richmond rejected a flawed smoking
ban.
The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee
voted overwhelmingly to reject a bill lowering
the state cigarette tax.
Indiana became the ninth state to require
coverage for prosthetics.*
Iowa
Eligibility requirements for the state Children’s
Health Insurance Program were expanded in
2008, with the ultimate goal of covering all
children by 2011.*
The state passed and implemented a statewide
smoke-free law covering all workplaces, including
bars and restaurants.
The Society protected more than $11 million in
annual funding for the state’s comprehensive
tobacco control program and $100,000 in
annual funding for the breast and cervical
cancer program.*
The new Healthy Kids Act set nutritional standards
for school meals and physical activity standards.
Kansas
The state authorized its breast and cervical
early detection program to also conduct colon
and prostate cancer screenings once additional
funds are made available.*
The Kansas House of Representatives approved
legislation requiring insurance companies to
cover the full range of colorectal screenings.*
Nine municipalities enacted comprehensive
smoke-free ordinances.
The Society persuaded the state to cover tobacco
cessation services for pregnant women
in Medicaid.*
Kentucky
The state breast and cervical treatment program,
originally established through executive order,
is now operating under force of law. In addition,
a new law requires “bare bones” health plans
to provide mammography coverage.*
Legislation creating a colon cancer screening
program for the uninsured and an accompanying
educational campaign was enacted.*
Insurance companies are now required to cover
the full range of colorectal screenings in accordance
with Society screening guidelines.*
The state House of Representatives approved a
25-cent cigarette tax increase, and the governor
announced his support for a 70-cent increase.
Louisiana
Despite steep cuts to other health programs,
the Louisiana Breast and Cervical Cancer Early
Detection Program preserved $700,000 in state
funding and the state provided $1.5 million
to start a colorectal cancer screening pilot for
uninsured and underinsured citizens.*
The Society and its public health partners not
only defeated attempts to weaken the Louisiana
Smoke-free Air Act, but also built momentum
behind efforts to strengthen it in the 2009
legislative session.*
Society advocates continued to educate legislators
and the public about the need for an increased
tobacco tax.
Maine
Proceeds from a new breast cancer awareness
license plate will be shared equally by the state
breast and cervical program, Maine-based cancer
research initiatives, and patient assistance efforts.*
Insurance companies are now required to cover
the full range of colorectal screenings in accordance
with Society screening guidelines.*
For the seventh straight year, Maine ranked
first in the nation in funding tobacco prevention
programs.
The state became the first in the nation to pass
a law banning the sale of flavored cigarettes
and cigars.
28

Maryland
secured more than $6 million for tobacco and
cancer control.*
The Mississippi House of Representatives passed
a $1 increase in the state cigarette tax.
Society advocates secured coverage of tobacco
cessation services in Medicaid.*
Effective February 1, 2008, the state implemented
its comprehensive smoke-free workplace law.
The state cigarette tax went from $1 to $2
per pack.
The Society helped pass legislation that prohibits
genetic information or tests from being used to
deny, limit, or charge different rates for long-term
care coverage.*
Massachusetts
A new law established guidelines for educating
parents and children about cervical
cancer vaccines.
Minnesota
Newly enacted health care reform legislation
expands eligibility for MinnesotaCare, protects
continuity of care, and establishes a health care
home system.*
Despite state budget constraints, funding for
tobacco control and prevention initiatives was
maintained at $20 million.
Missouri
The state increased funding for the breast and
cervical cancer early detection program by
$500,000, for a total of one million dollars.*
Kansas City’s smoke-free ordinance, exempting
only casinos, went into effect.
Nevada
No regular legislative session in 2008.
The Society acted as a watchdog to rebuff
tobacco industry attempts to circumvent the
recently enacted Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act.
Society advocates prepared legislation and
recruited key lawmaker support for a bill to allow
unused chemotherapy drugs to be donated to
cancer patients in need.*
Revenue from a $1 increase in the cigarette
tax (for a total of $2.51 — the third highest
in the nation) will be used to fully fund and
implement its innovative health reform law.
More than 425,000 state residents have obtained
health insurance since the law went into effect
in 2006.*
The state tobacco prevention and cessation
program received a total of $1.5 million.
Montana
No regular legislative session in 2008.
New Hampshire
The cigarette tax went up 25 cents, for a total
of $1.33, and “small cigars” were redefined as
cigarettes, subjecting these previously untaxed
products to the state tobacco excise tax.
The Society secured state funding for a new
Office of Health Equity to ensure that reducing
disparities remains a top priority.*
The state Medicaid program added smoking
cessation services as a permanent benefit.*
The governor signed Jenny’s Law, which places
the burden of proof on insurers when a life
insurance company denies claims based on
conditions that arise after a policy is signed.*
Michigan
The state Senate passed a comprehensive
smoke-free workplace bill. New smoke-free
workplace laws are now in effect in Gogebic,
Houghton, and Keweenaw counties.
The Society prevented the Healthy Michigan
Fund from being cut or eliminated and instead
The Society prevented the state’s breast
and cervical cancer screening and youth
tobacco prevention programs from being
drastically cut.*
Society advocates defeated an attempt to weaken
the state’s comprehensive smoke-free air law and
built support for stronger enforcement measures.
A new state health improvement program will
provide grants to local communities for tobacco
prevention and obesity fighting programs.*
Mississippi
Six municipalities enacted smoke-free laws
this year.
The Society is working to ensure the state implements
the final phase of its 2005 smoke-free
law, which bans smoking in bars and casinos.
The Society launched the Montana Pain Initiative
to improve state regulations and institutional
policies governing rural hospitals, in-home care
providers, and long-term care facilities.*
The Society led a coalition that improved a proposal
for a statewide prescription monitoring
program.*
Nebraska
The state passed a 100 percent comprehensive
smoke-free law effective June 1, 2009.
Nebraska’s tobacco prevention and cessation
program received a $500,000 increase.
The state removed restrictive limits on the
amount of pain medication that can be dispersed
to patients.*
New Jersey
The Society partnered with other leading health
groups to develop a consensus around health
29 * Denotes initiative addressing disparities and/or access to care.

eform, resulting in a new law that requires
insurance coverage for children, expands the
New Jersey FamilyCare program, and institutes
improvements in the individual market.*
The Society inspired a bill that will provide treatment
for individuals diagnosed with colorectal
or prostate cancer through the state’s screening
program for the uninsured.*
New Jersey became the second state with a law
banning the sale of flavored cigarettes.
New Mexico
The state increased its allocation for the breast
and cervical cancer early detection program
by $500,000 for a total state appropriation of
one million dollars. The program will also receive
the proceeds from sales of a new breast cancer
awareness license plate featuring the Society’s
toll-free number.*
The Society assisted Navajo tobacco control
advocates in passing a ban on tobacco use in
the Navajo Nation legislature. Unfortunately,
the nation’s president vetoed the measure.*
New Mexico will direct the bonus payments
it received as part of the master settlement
agreement with the tobacco companies to
tobacco control and Medicaid.*
New York
The Society was a lead member of labor-business
and patient advocacy coalitions that sponsored
forums to focus public and policy-maker
attention on access to care, resulting in a
significant expansion of the state’s children’s
health insurance program.*
The Society organized and led the effort to raise
the state cigarette tax from $1.50 to $2.75 per
pack, the highest in the nation.
Private and public college, university, and
vocational school dormitories and residence
halls became smoke-free effective August 2008.
Municipal and school district employees may
now take up to four hours of leave annually for
cancer screening tests.*
North Carolina
Society advocates secured a $500,000 annual
increase for the state tobacco cessation hotline.
In addition, a new provision in the state budget
authorizes the hotline to recommend nicotine
replacement therapy.
A new law requires state owned and operated
vehicles be 100 percent smoke-free effective
January 1, 2009. The law also clarifies local governments’
authority to make municipally owned
and operated vehicles 100 percent smoke-free.
A new law empowers individual community
college boards of trustees to prohibit tobacco
use on campus.
North Dakota
No regular legislative session in 2008.
Voters in Fargo approved a ballot initiative that,
by expanding its smoke-free law to include
stand-alone bars, truck stops, and rental halls,
made the city’s law stronger than the state’s.
The city of West Fargo approved a comprehensive
smoke-free ordinance.
Ohio
Ohio’s breast and cervical cancer program received
an additional $2.5 million in state funding.*
The state Senate approved a bill requiring insurers
to cover the full range of colorectal cancer
screening tests.*
A new law requires insurers to cover routine
patient-care costs administered as part of a
cancer clinical trial.*
Legislation to raise the tax on cigars and
smokeless tobacco products was introduced.
The revenue would fund tobacco use prevention
programs.
Oklahoma
The state Senate approved a bill requiring
insurers to cover the full range of colorectal
cancer screening tests.*
The state Senate Business and Labor Committee
approved a statewide smoke-free bill.
The Society helped secure a $4 million increase
to the state tobacco prevention and cessation
program, bringing the total to $16 million.
A new law increases physical education
requirements for elementary school students
from 60 to 120 minutes per week.
Oregon
No regular legislative session in 2008.
Society advocates prevented $8.2 million in
funds for the state tobacco and prevention
education program from being cut.
Pennsylvania
The Society helped protect $1.7 million in
funding for a Department of Health program
that makes annual breast and cervical cancer
screenings available to women ages 40 to 49.*
A new law requires coverage for most colorectal
cancer screening tests in businesses with more
than 50 employees.*
The Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act was
signed by the governor on June 13, 2008 and
went into effect on September 11, 2008.
Pharmacies will be able to re-dispense unused
cancer drugs to patients in need under a new
voluntary drug repository program.*
Rhode Island
Despite a deepening budget crisis, the state
maintained level funding for its Women’s Cancer
Screening and tobacco control programs.*
The tax on little cigars was raised so that it
equals the cigarette tax of $2.46 per pack.
The state passed legislation to allow patients to
get 90 days worth of pain medications, as opposed
to the previous 30 days, in accordance with
new U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency guidelines.*
30

Rhode Island became the fifth state in the
country to create a Legislative Cancer Caucus.
South Carolina
The state allocated $2 million for the breast
and cervical cancer early detection program, its
first-ever state-federal match.*
The state will invest one million dollars in a
colorectal cancer screening pilot targeting
the uninsured.*
The state Supreme Court ruled that there is
no state preemption over local smoke-free
laws, permitting communities statewide to
enact strong smoke-free ordinances. Seven
comprehensive smoke-free local ordinances
were implemented in 2008.
The state House and Senate approved a 50-cent
per pack increase in the cigarette tax. Although
the governor vetoed the measure, momentum
is growing for passage in 2009.
South Dakota
Society advocates persuaded the state government
to preserve funding for the breast and
cervical screening program and tobacco control.*
The state allocated $125,000 for tuition
reimbursement to health care providers that
commit to serving in underserved, rural areas.*
A new law requires health providers to publicize
the cost of certain medical procedures
so that consumers can make informed health
care decisions.*
Tennessee
The Society launched a grassroots campaign
in support of legislation that would expand
breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings
and smoking cessation services.*
Funding for Tennessee’s breast and cervical
cancer program remained intact, avoiding the
severe cuts made to other programs.*
A successful Society grassroots campaign
defeated attempts to weaken the Nonsmoker
Protection Act of 2007, which allows smoking
only in venues open to those 21 and over. In
addition, the state reaffirmed its commitment
to smoking cessation and prevention with $5
million in program funding.
Texas
No regular legislative session in 2008.
The process for implementing the new Cancer
Prevention and Research Institute began. The
Institute, created by the legislature and ratified
by the public in a 2007 ballot initiative, will
invest $3 billion in state cancer prevention and
research programs.
Comprehensive smoke-free ordinances were
approved in Alton, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Flower
Mound, Nacogdoches, Pearland, Richardson,
and Tyler.
Utah
The state approved legislation providing more
than $5 million to expand children’s health
insurance, increase participation in a state
program that subsidizes a portion of low income
individuals’ health insurance premiums, and
helps low income, underserved individuals use
health care resources more effectively.*
A bill to create a special license plate whose
proceeds would fund cancer screening awareness
campaigns was introduced.
Vermont
The Society was a leader in enhancing access
to the Catamount Health Program by securing
an amnesty period for pre-existing conditions,
such as cancer, and helping to pass legislation
that waives the one-year eligibility waiting period
for individuals in high-deductible plans of
$10,000 or more.*
The governor signed legislation that prohibits
deductibles and copays from applying to
mammograms and caps out-of-pocket expenses
at $25.*
The state provided $5.2 million for its tobacco
control program and banned the sale of tobacco
products over the Internet.
Virginia
Despite a $1.4 billion budget shortfall, Society
volunteers protected breast and cervical cancer
funding for the Every Woman’s Life Program.*
The state Senate passed comprehensive statewide
smoke-free legislation by the widest margin
to date. The proposed law also authorizes local
communities to enact smoke-free ordinances that
are stronger than the statewide law.
Washington
The Society helped to enact legislation to establish
and fund, at $1.3 million, a citizen work group
that will assess four major health care reform proposals
and engage state residents on the issue.*
The Washington Breast and Cervical Health Program
received $585,000 in state funds to address reimbursement
shortfalls to participating providers.*
The state budget included $956,000 to start a
colorectal cancer screening pilot for uninsured
people in select counties.*
Smoking cessation products and cessation
counseling services are now available through
Medicaid, with the state providing a $1.9 million
match to $1.7 million in federal funds.*
West Virginia
For the first time, the state allocated $100,000
to fund the West Virginia Comprehensive Cancer
Coalition, which is charged with implementing
the state cancer plan. In addition, funding for the
state cancer registry was reinstated.*
The Society joined the Legislative Health Interim
Committee, which is studying statewide health
reform proposals.*
31 * Denotes initiative addressing disparities and/or access to care.

Legislation that would have stripped local
communities of their ability to enact strong
smoke-free laws was defeated for the 16th year
in a row. Twelve counties had comprehensive
smoke-free laws go into effect in 2008, for a
total of 21 counties with such laws.
Wisconsin
Despite a significant budget deficit, Society
advocates protected funding for the state’s
breast and cervical cancer screening program.*
Smoke-free ordinances passed in Eau Claire,
Marshfield, Monona, and Fond du Lac.
The state increased funding for its comprehensive
tobacco control program by $250,000. The annual
appropriation is now in excess of $15 million.
Wyoming
The Society became a founding member of the
Coalition for Wyoming Insurance Solutions in
Healthcare, formed to evaluate access to care
issues such as consumer protections in insurance
coverage.*
Society advocates secured $1.7 million for
state programs for the medically underserved,
including breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer
screenings and Native Sister, a collaborative
initiative expanding access to breast cancer
screenings for Native American women.*
The state Health Labor and Social Services Joint
Committee passed a comprehensive smoke-free
bill on December 2, 2008. The bill will go before
the full legislature in 2009.
Health insurers are now required to cover
routine patient care costs for individuals
participating in phases two, three, and four
clinical trials.*
Reducing Tobacco’s Toll
Smoke-Free Successes
Three states – Illinois, Iowa, and Maryland – implemented statewide smoke-free laws covering workplaces,
restaurants, and bars.
Three states – Iowa, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania – passed statewide smoke-free laws.
Twenty-nine states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico now have 100 percent smoke-free laws
covering workplaces and/or restaurants and/or bars.
Thirteen states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have smoke-free laws covering 100 percent
of all workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
Sixty-nine percent of the U.S. population is now covered by smoke-free workplace and/or bar and/or
restaurant laws, up from 57 percent in 2007
Cigarette Tax Increases
Five states – Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont – plus the District of
Columbia – increased cigarette taxes.
At $2.75 per pack, New York now has the nation’s highest cigarette tax. The state’s tobacco cessation
hotline logged 10,000 calls the week the tax went up.
Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are using part of the tax revenue to expand access to care.
Twelve states and the District of Columbia have taxes of $2.00 or more.
The average state tax on a pack of cigarettes is now $1.19, up from $1.11 a year ago.
Prevention, Cessation, and Control Funding
Six states – Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine and Montana – funded their tobacco
control programs at or above the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s minimum levels
during the 2008 fiscal year. Maine ranked first in funding tobacco prevention programs for the
seventh consecutive year.
Other states that have increased funding for tobacco control include Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Iowa,
Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Tennessee, plus the District of Columbia.
Sixteen states offer adequate Medicaid smoking cessation coverage, meaning at least one form of
medication and one type of counseling. Oregon covers all therapies recommended by the U.S. Public
Health Service.
Many of these achievements were made possible by Society Mission Delivery Council grants.

DONORS
Corporate Champions
$100,000 and up
EMD Serono, Inc.
Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America
Corporate Heroes
$25,000 - $99,999
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Genentech USA
Johnson & Johnson
Pfizer, Inc.
Major CANpaign Circle
$20,000 and up
Dr. John W. Hamilton
Robert E. Youle
Chairman’s Circle
$10,000 - $19,999
Fereydoun Firouz
Matthew & Susan Lorber
Dr. John & Mrs. Carole Seffrin
Corporate Friends
$10,000 - $24,999
Pace Communications
Home Front Communications
Ironworks Consulting LLC
President’s Circle
$3,000 - $9,999
Alliance Oncology
Autodesk, Inc.
Banner Health
Dr. Ermilo Barrera Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. R. Clifford Berg
Kathleen M. Bond
Greg & Karen Bontrager
Dr. William H. Boykin Jr.
Dr. Otis W. Brawley
Dr. Robert T. Brodell
Sally West Brooks &
Marvin Brooks
Helene G. Brown
Carla Marie Bucknell
Joe Cahoon
Dr. Barrie R. Cassileth
Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.
Catholic Health Initiatives
Children’s Community
Health Plan
Children’s Hospital and
Medical Center
Jennie R. Cook
Molly A. Daniels
Michael P. Dany
Tina C. Datta
Dean Health Systems
Dr. Robert P. DeMarco
Dr. Margaret Drugay
Evergreen Healthcare
Patricia M. Felts
Firestone and Parson, Inc.
First Choice Health
Dr. Elizabeth T.H. Fontham
Dr. Lewis E. Foxhall
GMMB
Nathan Grey
Sheffield & Elizabeth Hale
Norma J. Hayman
Health Advances LLC
Reuel Johnson
Dr. Anna Johnson-Winegar &
Lucien Winegar
Dr. Douglas K. Kelsey
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kugler
Grace Kurak
Michael Kurak
Mary Jo Langdon
Dr. Robert M. Langdon
Unice Lieberman &
Stephan Diamond
Thomas M. Lindquist
Lockspot Café
Martin Smith, Inc.
Massachusetts Medical
Society / New England
Journal of Medicine
Charles Matthau
Ann Mau
Jean B. McGill
Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Melrose
Pamela K. Meyerhoffer
Dr. Karen A. Moffitt
Moffitt Cancer Center
Scarlott K. Mueller
Nebraska Cancer
Specialists – Methodist
Estabrook Cancer Center
Kent C. Nelson
Frank R. Nolimal
Dr. Sandra A. Norman
Nixon Peabody LLP
Northwest Hospital and
Medical Center
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Oracle Corporation
Overlake Hospital
Medical Center
Paradysz Matera Co. Inc.
Joe P. Parisi
Gregory A. Pizzuti
Ann Marie & Arnie Pomerinke
Frances Popstojanovic-Holstrom
Pamela A. Ratcliff
Rod J. Ratcliff
Gary M. Reedy
Rona Consulting
Mark Rothwell
Dr. Christy A. Russell
Wendy & Michael Selig
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen F. Sener
Peter S. Sheldon
Thomas Sheridan
Daniel E. Smith & Lorraine Voles
Richard E. Spoonemore
SSM of Wisconsin
Carter Steger
Stephen L. Swanson
Swedish Health Services
Dr. Craig Tanio
Dr. Eric W. Taylor
Tennessee Society for
Gastroenterology
Dr. Alan & Mrs. Nancy Thorson
Chris H. Torti
University of Washington
Waste Management
Donald A. Webster
Dr. Jeff Weinstein
John F. Windham
Wisconsin Education
Association Council
Wisconsin Hospital Association
Mr. & Mrs. G. Van Velsor Wolf Jr.
Dr. G. Fred Worsham Jr.
Dr. Jerome Yates
David L. Yeager
Champion’s Circle
$1,000 - $2,999
Alegent Health
Joseph Allen
Alliant Insurance Services
Amphion
Andover Barbecue Society
Armstrong International Inc.
Arnold Worldwide LLC
Axley Brynelson LLP
DeAnne F. Baer
Dr. Larry D. Baer
Michele M. Barsanti
Herb Beuter
Dr. Therese Bevers
Barnard Griffin Winery
Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Minnesota
Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Nebraska
Boston University School
of Medicine
Boyd Watterson Asset
Management
Brandeberry McKenna
Public Affairs
Sheila Breeding
Broydrick & Associates
Dr. Carolyn J. Bruzdzinski
Joe Buchanan
Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney,
Professional Corporation
Kalah R. Bumba
Cynthia A. Cable
Connie J. Chapman
Stephanie B. Christensen
Dr. Mark Clanton
Christina M. Clothier
Deborah J. Cornwall
Commercial Cost Control Inc.
Patricia J. Crome
Kelley M. Daniel
Jim Davis
Charles W. DeGooyer
Ralph A. DeVitto Jr.
Dr. William Dooley
Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC
Dr. Stephen J. Dreyer
Kimberly T. Duchossois
Bryan K. Earnest
Dr. W. Phil P. Evans III
Pete Festerson
Dr. Wanda D. Filer
Shelby Fletcher
John Fraser
Gateway Ventures
Georgetown Cupcake
Thomas P. Glynn III
Goff & Howard Inc.
Joel T. Greer
Barbara M. Grevior
Steven Grossman
Donald J. Gudaitis
Hamilton Consulting Group
Donna K. Hammack
Lee Hecht Harrison
Reed E. Hall
Kyle D. Harris
Kelly Headrick
Dale Hendrix
John C. Hoctor
Robert Holleran
Hope Group LLC
Roger E. Howard
Paul Hull
Dr. Elaine Iuanow
Johnson Timber Corp
Jari J. Johnston-Allen
Dr. William Karrer
Key Bank
Dr. Marianne B. Kipper
George C. Kosmos Jr.
Lisa A. Lacasse & Bruce D. Lesley
Brian D. Langstraat
Lehman Kelly Sadler & O’Keefe
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Daniel C. Lynch
William H. Lynch
M & R Strategic Services Inc.
Mackinaw Valley Vineyard
Madison Radiologists SC
Marshfield Clinic
Steve Martin
Stacy A. Matseas
Dr. Tim Mauldin
Merck & Company Inc.
Meriter Health Services
Methodist Estabrook
Cancer Center
Metro East Masters League
Michelle I. Mettner
MFS Investment Management
33

Midlands Choice
James E. Miller
Minneapolis Radiation
Oncology
Jennifer H. Mirenda
Colleen D. Mitchell
Paula D. Mohan
MSHC Partners Inc.
Terry Music
Myriad Genetic Labs
The Nebraska Methodist
Hospital
Dawn Neiderman
Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
Park Bank
Parkway Plastic Surgery
Ruth M. Parriott
Partners Healthcare System
Personal Care Product Council
Andrew Petersen
Paul Plofchan
Premera Blue Cross
Thomas E. Press
Puyallup Valley Flower
Quatt Associates
Vicki A. Rakowski
Dr. Mark W. Redrow
Riester Sonoran LLC
LW Robbins Associates Inc.
William G. Robbins
Mary Rob Clarke
Delia D. Roberts
Diane Roberts
Ropes & Gray, LLP
Julie Rosen
Sanofi-Aventis US Inc.
Schaumburg Flyers
Seim Johnson Sestak & Quist
Kim R. Sevening
Dr. Peter Shields
Steven E. Slaughter
Soapbox
Russ Sobotta
Gary J. Streit
TAS INC
TDS Telecom
Pam Traxel
Trivers Associates
United Healthcare
University of Massachusetts
Medical School
Michael Vander Hoek
David F. Veneziano
WAHU Foundation
Erika Walsted
Thomas J. Williams
Wisconsin Restaurant
Association
Patricia R. Workman
Bertram A. Yaffe
Nancy Yaw
Dr. Jackie Young
Hero’s Circle
$500 - $999
Advantage Mail
Briggs W. Andrews
Dr. Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins
Boston Medical Center
Healthnet Plan
Sharlene R. Bozack
Michael A. Bozzuto
Marilyn K. Broussard
Heidi Brown
Nicki Brown
Dr. Barbara K. Bucholtz
Dr. Michael J. &
Mrs. Sharon R. Bukstein
Stephen A. Burgess
Charlotte L. Burke
Valerie N. Burniece
Dr. Karlynn BrintzenhofeSzoc
Corinne Broderick
Cancer Care Northwest Centers
Dr. Mark Carlson
Gail Carlson-Van Valey
Central Indiana Cancer Centers
City Of Huntington Park
Cone Inc.
Creekside Custom Homes
Joseph W. Cruitt
Custom Picture/Dustin Batt
Aaron E. Czyzewski
William J. Dalton
Dr. Raymond Y. Demers
Richard L. Deming
Dr. M. Julian Duttera
Peter E. Eckerline
Mark A. Edmiaston
Dr. Albert B. Einstein
Hilarie Engle
Mark Escobar
Dr. Jack T. Evjy
Guy Fischer
Kathy C. Franklin
Doug Frasier
FSA/Kelly Chaterton
Ronald B. Gartlan
Georgette B. Gaskin
Priscilla F. Gibbs
Joy A. Ginsburg
Godfather’s Pizza Inc.
Gail M. Goodrich
Toppy Goolsby
Greater Boston Chamber
of Commerce
Greene Turtle
Lynn A. Hancock
Kathryn M. Hansen
Dorothy J. Hargrove
Dr. Allen H. Henderson
Helen E. Hession
Dr. Karen Heusinkveld
Laura J. Hilderley
Jill Hodges
Kelly A. Howley
Dr. Elmer E. Huerta
Russell N. Huffer
Nancy Hughes
Imagers
Infocision Management
Corporation
Ivy Pearl Foundation
Katrina E. Kamm
James K. Knox
Ellen Israel
Kazuyoshi Iwamoto
Jennifer Johnson
Jayne Jones
Angela Kegler McDowell
Robert J. Kelley
Brian D. Key
Dr. Howard B. Kleckner
Maria J. Koumantaros
Michael Kulik
Lake Research Partners
Martin R. Larsen
Liberty Mutual
Drs. Ina & Abe Lieberman
Sharon P. Light
Darrell A. Lindman
John (Randy) Linduff
Christopher Loiacono
Eva Loken
Dr. Dan D. Lydiatt
Margaret Mary Community
Hospital
Brian A. Marlow
Marriott International Inc.
Marc J. Marotta
Jeffrey A. Martin
Auda T. Martinez
Nancy Mathis
Mary M. McDonald
Anthony McLean
Peter Meade
Dave Mills
Jazmin Miranda-Smith
Robert Mitchell
Wendy P. Moran
Munder Capital Management
National Investment
Services Inc.
Mary O. Nichols
Noel J. Oates
Margaret K. Offerman
Steve Ohlenkamp
Old National Bancorp
Olson Hagel & Fishburn LLP
Yvonne C. Pache
Janet S. Parker
Kim Pendarvis
Brice R. Pontious
Proforma
Public Health Institute
Qdoba Mexican Grill
Ujwala Rajgopal
Dr. Susan M. Rawl
Desiree Roach
Catherine A. Roberts
Neil J. Robertson
Karen M. Rouse
Rob Sartin
Jeff & Julie Schoenfeld
Karen A. Schulz-Perez
Randy H. Schwartz
Allen D. Segal
Side Pocket Foods Co.
Sierra Health Services Inc.
Michael L. Siler
Burleigh L. Singleton
Solari Hospice Care LLC
Dr. Christopher A. Squier
Alice A. Steffensen
Stein Distributing Company Inc.
Richard W. Stilwell
Richard N. Sullivan
Summitt Credit Union
Gretchen H. Tegeler
Terre Haute Regional Hospital
Mary L. Thornhill
Total Graphic Solutions
Trek Bicycle Corporation
Stacy L. Truax
Turnkey Promotions
James A. Tupper
Dr. Eric Vallieres
Visiting Nurse Association of
the Wabash
Stevie Vildibill
Julia A. Wagner
Liz Weisgerber
Frederick J. Wenzel
Dr. Gerald L. Woolam Jr.
World Asset Management
Leader’s Circle
$250 - $499
Adaptive Mediquip Inc.
Jennifer L. Adzima
Aetna Inc.
Holly Agne
Dr. Tenley E. Albright
Charles H. Allen
Karen P. Alexander
Gregory C. Alwood
American Post Shores Inc.
AMGEN Inc.
Dr. Richard Anderson
Margaret L. Anderson Keane
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cindy M. Antolik
Stephen John Arkinstall
David F. Arons
Dr. Jameel Audeh
James R. Austin
Lesley K. Austin
Patricia S. Avery
Vic Ayers
Carol L. Baker
Robi Bannon
Susan W. Barron
Basta Mangiare of Peoria
Dr. Tracy A. Battaglia
Barbara B. Behal
James A. Bergeron
Birdie McKenna’s
Joanna Bichsel
Steve C. Biever
Francine P. Bion
Joanne C. Blos
George Ann Blough
Linda Blount
Becky Bogard
34

Mary Borrelli
Jack Brandabur
J.J. Bridge
Patricia Brinton
Dr. Samuel Britt II
Dr. Bruce H. Brumm
Connie Burns
Nathan D. Bush
Theresa A. Buster
Paula J. Butler
Ronald J. Butler
Judith E. Calhoun
James M. Cantwell
Sandra C. Cassese
Emilio & Helen J. Cadamagnani
Dr. Blake Cady
Cathryn C. Callaway
Joan M. Cambray
Dr. Umberto E. Capuano
Jon S. Carlson
Hilary E. Casillas
The Catering Company
Audra & Wayne Chai
Gale Champion
Anna Chanakas
Robert T. Chapman
Citizens for Jake Zimmerman
Lynn M. Claudon
Debra J. Cohen
Chris Colbert
Margaret Conlon
Dr. Wil Counts
Diane L. Cristina
Barbara Crowe
Randy J. Dahl
Jim Danek
John A. Daniel
Dawson & Gerbic LLP
Kristy E. Deaton
James Delellis
Steven M. Derks
Diamond Jaxx Baseball
Club LLC
Barbara & Eric Dobkin
Joyce J. Dolbec
Downers Grove Junior
Women’s Club
Duke Energy
Dr. Joel S. Dunnington
Ear Nose & Throat Associates
Jerry B. Edmonds
Julie S. Erickson
Brianna C. Evans
Dr. Galen M. Eversole
Exeter Country Club Inc.
Margaret M. Farina
Kristi E. Farver-Oaks
Rollin Fatland
Fead Construction Law PLC
Valerie Fein-Zachary
Burton R. Feldstein
Tonya L. Fier
Jack Fischer
David Fitterer
Richard L. Fitzgerrell
Martin E. Flynn
Rita C. Forden
Forest City Enterprises
Zachary A. Fortsch
Kenneth C. Francis
Joseph M. Franco Jr.
Jane Fulgham
Tonnie Furjanic
Gally Public Affairs Inc.
Gamestop
Gas & Electric Credit Union
Scott A. Gasiorek
Norma J. Gecks
Tina F. Gill
Daniel Gorski
Ann C. Gouré
Carole E. Granderson
Holly H. Grant
Dawn Green
Abby Greensfelder
Jerry P. Guinane
Gyn Oncology Associates PL
Gregg H. Haifley
Ken Hamm
Adnan Hammad
Trista L. Hargrove
Ed Harlow
Dr. Lauralee Harris
Julie Hart
Kevan L. Hartshorn
Alissa Havens
Hayden Beverage Company
Ronald R. Hecht
Dr. Alan C. Henderson
Patricia L. Henson
Mary Jo Heston
H. Hirschmann Ltd.
Hildebrand Tewes
Consulting Inc.
Robert V. Hilkemann
Holland-Mark
David W. Holmquist
Dana B. Hopkins
Jon R. Hornaday
Keri R. House
Scott F. Huizenga
Jacqueline A. Hutchinson
William Huttemann Jr.
Suzanne A. Hyman
Marc C. Hymovitz
Steve A. Idelman
Jake’s Bar & Grille
Emilia H. Jankowski
Helen E. Jankowksi
Dr. Robert Lee Jennings
Laurie L. Jensen-Wunder
Norma V. Jeter
John T. John
Lila R. Johnson
Amy J. Johnson Boyle
Bernard M. Jones
Pamela Kantor
Wendy Kaplan
Kevin T. Keane
Robin N. Kelleher
Carole & Morty Kessler
Rebecca A. Kirch
Michangelo Kittrell
Calvin Knight
Steven R. Kreamer
John K. Kyger
Martin R. Larsen
Dr. Eva K. Lean
Cynthia M. LeBlanc
Diana C. Lehet
Gary A. Leipheimer
Helen P. Leipold
Patricia S. Leonhard
Anne L. Levine
Diane M. Lewandowski
Ted Lewis
Wayne E. Lewis
Stephen R. Litzow
Richard A. Lombardi
Barbra Luct-Turner
Zack Lynch
Joseph R. Mahoney
Carol L. Maiello
Rene P. Mallen
Denise M. Martin
Judy I. Massong
Kevin Mathis
Patricia B. May
Charlene D. McCaskey
Jan A. McCaugherty
Sally McCurdy
Cheri McIntosh
Mr. & Mrs. Gary McMullen
MidAmerican/Ficht Services
Sheppard Miers
Jay D. Miller
Steve J. Miller
Brian D. Monaghan
Barbara C. Morgan
Michael Murphy
Laura E. Nathan
Danell W. Nedom
New Hampshire Center for
Cancer Medicine
Barbara C. Nickles
Jessica Niles
David L. Nixon
Cheryl Olsen
Erin C. O’Neill
O’Niell’s Pub, Inc.
Anne B. Palmer
James R. Parker
Sherry L. Parker
Denise M. Passinetti
Nathaniel Peniston
Bruce A. Peterson
Melissia Petro
Edward W. Pettigrew
Pick N For A Cure
Sandra M. Pihos
Christine C. Pidwell
Rosalie C. Plechaty
Cherilyn R. Pollard
Ellen Prandi
Phillip H. Prange
Jack H. Presbury
Steve Presley
Kathy Psutka
Skip Quint
Larry Ream
Erin B. Reidy
David A. Reynolds
Jamie Riccobono
Paul K. Richards
Katie Riley
Phillips W. Robbins
Lesa M. Robison
Megan A. Roether
Dr. David S. Rosenthal
Dr. Frank Rotolo
Marilyn P. Rouvelas
Charles Royer
Elisa Rudolph-Perez
Cindy C. Rutherford
Teresa M. Rutherford
Roger Sametz
Ed Sato
Albert Savegnago
Lisa Beyer Scanlon
Nancy J. Scharfeld
Deborah S. Schiro
Marvin Schurgin
Kristen L. Schloss
Christy Schmidt
Linda C. Schmidt
Robianne K. Schultz
Claire L. Sharp
Craig H. Shaver III
Christine J. Shaw
Rebecca J. Sherwood
Cherie K. Shoemake
Dr. Timothy Sielaff
Jolene C. Silbaugh
Brianne Simon
Debborah Smith
Megan O. Smith
Monica L. Smith
Patrick Smith
Smith Bryan & Myers Inc.
Thomas R. Smothers
Dawn A. Snapp
Norma H. Spoonemore
Glena Snow
Tash R. Sogg
Mark Speers
Mary H. Spillane
Rebecca K. Stafford
Johnson L. Stambaugh
Christopher C. Stead
Jerry N. Stehlik
Jack W. Steinmeyer
Laura L. St. Germain
Julie A. Strzyzewski
James W. Stubner
D.J. Sullivan
Donald P. Sullivan
Dru Szczerba
Dr. Ronald Szoc
Karina Tabor
Patricia J. Tate
Nancy M. Thornborrow
Rachel J. Townshend
Kristine B. Travaglini
Ken P. Tupa
Jaimie Vickery
Mary Beth Warner &
Bernhard Streitwasser
Deirdra M. Ward
Nancy Watkins
Kristine P. Weaver
Weaver Ridge Golf Course
Dr. David R. Webb
Steven C. Weiss
Judy M. Wheat
Ann E. Wheet
Dr. Richard L. White
Stewart E. White
Suzanne S. White
Wiggin & Nourie PA
Scott Williams
Carolyn P. Williams-Goldman
Robert N. Willman
Jan C. Willoughby
Andrew Wilson
Kristine R. Wilson
Phylecia Wilson
Robert Wood
David P. Woodmansee
Richard Woodruff
Leonard A. Yerkes III
Carma J. Yoder
Dr. Robert C. Young
Dr. Herb Zaretsky
Evelyn G. Zneimer
35

CAN
Opener
A large fundraiser held in the District of Columbia area, the annual CAN Opener brings together
hundreds of activists and cancer survivors from across the country to support ACS CAN. Equal parts rally
and recognition, the event gives ACS CAN an opportunity to honor leaders who have demonstrated
exceptional strength in the fight against cancer. In 2008, the CAN Opener hosted the second successful
“AmeriCAN Idol” competition, which showcased talent from the Society’s Divisions.
36

SPECIAL
Thanks
Listed below are individuals and organizations that have helped to make 2008 such a successful year in advocacy. The list is by no means exhaustive,
so an additional thank you is extended to those not specifically mentioned. Please know that your contributions did not go unnoticed.
ACS CAN Board of Directors
American Cancer Society National Board of Directors
American Cancer Society Division Boards of Directors
State Lead Ambassadors
Ambassador Constituent Teams
American Cancer Society Staff
American Cancer Society Division Staff
ACS CAN Staff
Coaches vs. Cancer ®
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University
Jim Calhoun, University of Connecticut
Fran Dunphy, Temple University
Mark Gottfried, University of Alabama
Gary Williams, University of Maryland
Colleges Against Cancer SM – for work on Michelle’s Law
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer ®
Relay For Life ®
The Honorable Lois Capps
The Honorable Steve J. Israel
The Honorable Sue Myrick
The Honorable Deborah Pryce
The Honorable Sam Brownback
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Joseph Allen Photography
Crystal City Florist
K&L Gates
Georgetown Cupcake
Kilpatrick & Stockton, L.L.P.
McKenna, Long & Aldridge, L.L.P.
The AmeriCAN Idol Contestants
37

Greg Bontrager
Otis W. Brawley, MD
The Honorable Benjamin Cardin
Gail Carey
Deborah J. Cornwall
Wanda D. Filer, MD
Thenice “Ten” Gall
The Honorable Newt Gingrich
The Honorable Brian Higgins
Laura J. Hilderley, RN, MS
Elmer E. Huerta, MD, MPH
Andy Huff
Christopher “CJ” Jacobson
Celinda Lake
Tommy McFly
Karen Moffitt, PhD
Marion Morra, MA, ScD
The Morse Family
The Honorable Jane Nelson
Kelly Pavlik
Gary M. Reedy
Mark Rubin
John R. Seffrin, PhD
Frank Shoemaker
Eric Taylor, MD, FACR, FACRO
Alan Thorson, MD, FACS
Karen Tumulty
Corey Willman
Tom Willner
Robert E. Youle, Esq.

www.acscan.org