Cancer advocacy includes a range of opportunities for people to become involved with cancer issues and to contribute their time and energy to the community. Advocacy can involve passing out flyers at an event, giving a talk or writing an article about cancer, or writing a letter to elected officials asking them to support a new law. Advocates, who are often volunteers or staff for nonprofit organizations, have varying levels of training or professional expertise.
There are a few formal training programs to help teach people how they can effectively participate in the following activities:
-participate in the research peer review process
-educate others or raise awareness about cancer -provide peer support for people who have been diagnosed or otherwise affected by cancer
-contacting elected officials regarding laws relating to cancer
-improve care for patients
-reduce disparities in access to care or information
-facilitate, promote, or raise money for research
-promote patient participation in research
-disseminate research findings
Advocacy Facts and Figures
The numbers below emphasize the fact that as more and more people are living with cancer they are encountering issues that have not been adequately addressed through the health care system. The system needs to be changed to reflect the needs of survivors, and the way to change it is through advocacy.
*There are more than 10 million individuals in the United States today who are living with cancer.
*Nearly 40 percent of people living with cancer are under the age of 65.
*64 percent of adults diagnosed with cancer today will be living 5 years from now.
*In 1960, 4 percent of children with cancer survived more than 5 years.
*Nearly 80 percent of children (age 0 through 14) diagnosed with cancer today will be living five years from now.
*The five year survivorship rates for young adults (age 20 through 40) with cancer has remained unchanged for the past 30 years.
*Three out of every four American families will have at least one family member diagnosed with cancer.
*24 percent of adults with cancer are parents who have a child 18 years or younger.
*One of every four deaths in the United States is from cancer.
*In 2008, 570,280 Americans will die of cancer - more than 1,500 people a day.
*The annual cost of cancer in the United States is $189,800,000,000 in direct and indirect costs