Kentucky has a cancer problem.
It’s not exactly our best kept secret.
According to statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov, Kentucky remains at
or above the national average for incidence rates in 95 percent of
major cancers. We have a stranglehold lead on lung cancer in par-
ticular, a disease in which our state has ranked number one in both
incidence rates and deaths for well over a decade. Everyone knows
a friend or family member whose life has been affected by cancer.
It’s part of who we are.
Despite the discouraging stats, there are good people in this state
fighting cancer every day: Patients and survivors who know firsthand
what the disease can do, their families and friends, and the remark-
able doctors, nurses and hospital staff who spend each day in the
trenches. Their struggles are happening all over Kentucky right now
and, for that, they deserve our respect and support.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has been a pillar of this commu-
nity for over a century. Since the group’s founding in 1913, the ACS
has been devoted, not only to educating the public about cancer
in all its forms, but also serving those who are fighting the disease.
“The ACS wants to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the charge to-
wards a world without cancer,” said ACS Kentucky Executive Director
Jan Walther. “If someone gets a diagnosis of cancer, we want them
to be aware the ACS is right here to support them.”
As a national organization with 2 million volunteers and numerous
events, it can sometimes be hard to quantify all the ways the ACS
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is working to help those afflicted with cancer, their loved ones and
their physicians. So, let’s break it down from the state level successes
all the way to one-on-one in making a difference.
First of all, the ACS is lobbying year-round for legislation which will
positively affect the battle against cancer. In the last Kentucky leg-
islative session, the ACS Cancer Action Network was instrumental
in making certain that smoking cessation coverage was required by
all Kentucky insurers. That is a huge step which allows those who
want to quit smoking to receive more medical assistance from their
health care providers.
The ACS also designated $7 million to cancer research grants for the
University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky. “That’s for
doctors to help find a cure. Twenty years ago, a cancer diagnosis
was a death sentence. The mortality rate has declined by 25 percent
since then. Today, there are almost 16 million cancer survivors in
the country,” said Walther, stressing that research at the state and
national levels can save lives locally.
While the ACS is thinking big, it recognizes that sometimes the best
way to make a difference in a person’s life is to stand beside them
person-to-person. So, throughout the year, there are numerous
events hosted by the ACS to celebrate lives and raise money. The
biggest one, “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer,” just took place
at Waterfront Park on the morning of October 28 th .
VITAL SIGNS Volume 12 • Issue 3