National Call to Action for Cancer Survivorship
A Battle Plan for the New War on Cancer
There are 12 million Americans living with cancer today. This year alone, 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, and 560,000 will lose their lives to the disease. Cancer is a public health crisis that touches every American and costs our economy more than $400 billion per year.
The Surgeon General of the United States is the U.S. official appointed by the President of the United States who is responsible for protecting the public health, safety, and security of the Nation. In July 2008, at the request of LAF Chairman and Founder Lance Armstrong, Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006), brought together Surgeons General Novello, Elders, and Satcher to recognize cancer as a national public health crisis and to issue a plan to address it. These former United States Surgeons General collaborated with the cancer research and advocacy community to develop the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship that calls on every sector of American society, from the highest levels of government to communities and individuals to engage in the war on cancer.
The Plan to Save Millions of Lives
From prevention through survivorship, there are evidence-based, actionable steps that every American can take to reduce his or her risk of developing cancer and to improve the quality of life after for all cancer survivors. The National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship addresses these challenges and outlines four goals to stimulate action and dramatically reduce the burden of cancer in the U.S.
Similar to previous Surgeon General Calls to Action, this National Call to Action is supported by specific action steps that health professionals, business leaders, educators, policymakers, government leaders and the general public can use to improve cancer prevention and survivorship for all people. We all have a role to play in disseminating these messages nationwide and this National Call to Action is the charge given to us by our Nation’s top doctors. By committing to achieving these goals, many cancers can be prevented and millions more Americans can live a longer, fuller life beyond cancer.
Read the complete National Call to Action for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.
Read a letter from 17th US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS to our Newly Elected Leaders.
