American Cancer Society in Colorado

Winners of the American Cancer Society's College Scholarship Announced

2011-08-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

In 2011, the American Cancer Society’s 12-state Great West Division awarded 65 scholarships totaling $197,500, including three recipients in Colorado.

Katie Ledall of Greeley, Luke Mountjoy of Centennial and Corey Williamson of Bayfield were each awarded a $2,500 college scholarship by the American Cancer Society.

All three have been award multiple scholarships from the Society totaling $27,500. Since 2006 residents in Colorado have received 24 scholarships.

Ledall, a 2008 graduate of Eaton High School, was diagnosed with a brain tumor (pilocytic astrocytoma) in 1999. As a cancer survivor she was active in school including being the Senior Class President, co-editor of the school paper and a member of student council. She graduated with a 3.88 grade-point average. She also spent time volunteering at Northern Colorado Medical Center.

She is a junior at Colorado State University with a 3.7 grade point average and is considering a graduate degree in social work. She is an active committee member for the Relay For Life of CSU.

Mountjoy attended Metropolitan State College for his Freshman year before transferring to the University of Colorado – Denver for the remainder of his undergraduate degree. He previous won the American Cancer Society scholarship during his Sophomore year. Mountjoy will begin his second year of medical school at Des Moines University in the Fall where he’s studying to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. While he’s unsure yet as to what his field of specialization will be, he is looking into General Surgery or Pediatrics. Mountjoy says his “pediatric oncologist had a huge impact on my when I had leukemia. She was a wonderful doctor and a kind, caring human being.” Mountjoy says he realizes the importance of having a doctor who not only has an aptitude for science, but also compassion for patients.

Williamson is attending Fort Lewis College in Durango where he is a senior in exercise science specialists program. This is the fourth time he has received this American Cancer Society scholarship. The cost of tution is taking large piece of the Williamson’s family budget as Corey, his sister and his father are all attending college.

Williamson was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2003. He is a 2007 graduate of Bayfield High School. Though he was in treatment from eighth grade through his junior year, he stayed active in sports and even competed in the state wrestling championships. During his freshman year at University of Wyoming he joined the rugby team. An active participant in Relay For Life, Williamson is working on his personal training certification this summer.

Scholarships were awarded based on financial need, leadership, academic achievement and community service. To be eligible, candidates must have had a cancer diagnosis before age 21 and be a Great West resident. Students must also have a GPA of at least 2.5 and been accepted to an accredited school.

The purpose of the scholarship program is to help both the patient and family overcome the financial burden of cancer. For many, the financial impact from their cancer diagnosis has put the opportunity for higher education out of reach. With the opportunity for a cancer survivor college scholarship to help cover the increasing cost of tuition and related expenses, pediatric and adolescent cancer survivors are encouraged to fulfill their dreams and realize their full potential.

For more information about this scholarship program, call the American Cancer Society toll-free at

1-800-227-2345.

3rd Annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Breakfast

2011-07-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

This year’s American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's 3rd Annual Colorado Research Breakfast was held last Wednesday morning at the Denver Athletic Club.

Theresa Marchetta from Channel 7 in Denver was the emcee

The event highlighted the importance and impact of cancer research funding from several complementary perspectives. In the audience was a broad mix of American Cancer Society and ACS CAN constituents and survivors, researchers, public health professionals, and Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

Dr. Stephen Hunger (above) is a pediatric oncology researcher from Children’s Hospital Colorado and also served at the keynote speaker for the event.

Former First Lady of Colorado Dottie Lamm above) shared her experience of a breast cancer diagnosis 30 years ago and how far research advancements in breast cancer treatment have come since her diagnosis.

Colorado House Speaker Frank McNulty shared with the audience the many ways in which the State of Colorado and private industry benefit from NIH and NCI funding. As an additional highlight, Speaker McNulty's remarks included a new pronouncement that his GOP caucus in the State House will seek to protect Amendment 35 tobacco tax dollars form being raided in FY 2012. These revenues are normally the designated funding stream for mission-critical cancer screening and treatment programs as well as tobacco prevention and cessation services. Amendment 35-funded programs have experienced devastating cuts each year since 2009 due to legislative raids on this revenue stream, making this new caucus commitment a significant step towards restoring these dollars to the lifesaving programs for which they were intended, as approved by voters who supported Amendment 35 on the 2004 ballot.

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to Host Third Annual Colorado Research Breakfast

2011-07-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Researchers, Public Officials and Business Leaders Discuss Next Steps

DENVER, CO – July 20, 2011– Leaders in government, medical research, cancer care, business, health policy – and even Miss Colorado 2011, are meeting with lawmakers over breakfast to have a frank discussion about the next steps in the fight against cancer. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACS CAN) Colorado Research Breakfast is quickly becoming known as one of the region’s premier events in the cancer research and advocacy community, focusing on current policies, emerging trends, and advances in cancer research.

The ACS CAN research breakfast brings together those in Colorado who are committed to elevating the fight against cancer and ensuring elected officials make cancer a top legislative priority. ACS CAN volunteer advocates fight hard to preserve federal funding for cancer research, as well as for insurance coverage of lifesaving cancer screenings and treatments, and to stave off attempts to cut state funds that support programs such as the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

The treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the major success stories of modern medicine, according to Steven Hunger, M.D., director, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital Colorado, professor and Ergen Family Chair in pediatric cancer, and section chief of pediatric hematology/oncology/bone marrow transplantation at University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.

“Through clinical trial and linked laboratory research studies, childhood acute lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) has gone from an incurable disease in 1960, to one for which at least 85% of children will be cured in 2011,” said Dr. Hunger, “However, that is not good enough. Too many children and teenagers still die from ALL, and too many survivors are left with significant long term side effects from their treatment. Our goal must be to cure every child and teenager that develops this disease, a goal that can only be achieved with additional clinical and laboratory research.”

Recent polling commissioned by ACS CAN shows that more than three-quarters of the public opposes cutting funding for cancer research (77 percent) and prevention programs (76 percent) as part of the effort to reduce federal spending. Public opposition is strong across party lines – more than 60 percent of Republicans, more than 75 percent of Independents and nearly 90 percent of Democrats are opposed to cuts in cancer research funding.

“I was lucky because the timing of my breast cancer in 1981came just on the cusp of the development of new drugs and procedures that long years of medical research had made possible, recalled former Colorado First Lady Dottie Lamm, “And this research, not only in breast cancer, but in all cancer, must go on, especially in the areas that will help people, not like me, but racial minorities, children, and those with rare, or potentially more fatal, diseases than mine.”

Also speaking at the ACS CAN breakfast is Colorado Speaker of the House Frank McNulty. The Speaker will be discussing the economic impact of cancer research in Colorado and the importance of ongoing support for this research.

Diana Dreman, Miss Colorado 2011, knows how close to home cancer can hit, as her own mother is currently battling stage IV melanoma. Ms. Dreman stated today that she is committed to reducing the toll of cancer upon Colorado and will take the fight against cancer nationwide, if she can win the Miss America crown.

“This fight against cancer is near and dear to my heart. When I received the call that my mother had cancer I couldn’t breathe. As advocates, we have the responsibility to educate the public on the many ways to prevent and fight cancer effectively at the federal, state, and local levels, but we cannot do it unless policymakers take action to promote research, prevention, early detection, and effective treatment,” said Ms. Dreman.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures, it was estimated that in 2011 in Colorado 22,390 people would be diagnosed with cancer and another 6,890 would die from the disease. This year, it is estimated that more than 1.5 million people in the

United States

will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 571,000 people would die from the disease. Cancer remains the leading cause of death for all Americans under the age of 85, claiming the lives of 1,500 people each day

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. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to Host 3rd Annual Breakfast

2011-07-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is pleased to present its 3rd Annual Colorado Research Breakfast, to be held in Denver on July 20, 2011.

This event brings together more than 200 of Colorado's key leaders and decision makers in medical research, cancer care and health policy.

ACS CAN is focused on the needs of patients and ensuring that people have access to the care they need to prevent, detect and fight cancer and to maximize the quality of their lives. ACS CAN promotes public policy solutions to enhance prevention, early detection, research and access to care, ensuring that evidence-based tools to help people stay well and get well are accessible and available to those who need them.

Denver Athletic Club, 1325 Glenarm Place, Denver, CO
Registration 7 to 7:30 a.m. | Program 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Click here to register

Hope Mountain Camp, Summer 2011

2011-07-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

The following is from the American Cancer Society Quality of Life Manager, Amanda Childs, about the Hope Mountain Camp Summer 2011 session.

We had our Summer 2011 session of Hope Mountain Camp June 24-27 and this is my traditional recap for all of you......except this is going to be the BEST one yet!!

This year we did the same activities, but in NEW places. We camped on Friday and Saturday nights, both in amazing places. We rock climbed at Camp Hale (very beautiful and very interesting place) and we rafted the Colorado River. As per tradition, we tackled the ropes course on the last day.

Why such little commentary you may ask.... well this year I have the BEST thing ever for you all.... you get to actually SEE and FEEL camp. One of our amazing campers filmed the entire weekend and made a video!! I really really REALLY hope all of you will take the 10 minutes and watch the video ALL the way through, its so amazing and really gives you a good peak at how special Hope Mountain Camp is.. and what it means to our kids who come.

Campers with American Cancer Society employee, Amanda Childs

Campers with American Cancer Society employee, Erik Ortiz

I also want to take the time to thank the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center... Claire and the staff there really worked with me on putting together the best Hope Mountain Camp we could under our circumstances and our course director Katie Jack, remains to be the BEST we've ever had. I shutter to think what I might have to do to work with someone different :) She keeps us organized, on schedule and IN FUN. Once again, the BOEC continues to hire GREAT interns and ours this session fall into that category. and one last huge thank you to Erik Ortiz, as you will see or saw in the video.. he is a GREAT help to me at camp and the kids ADORE him. Thanks for being there Big E. :)

The video below was produced by one of the campers, it's an incredible video that really highlights what Hope Mountain Camp is all about.

American Cancer Society Honors The Children’s Hospital for Superlative Employee Engagement in Reducing Cancer’s Impact in the Workplace

2011-06-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society, during its national Corporate Impact Conference in Minneapolis, Minn., June 9-10, will recognize The Children’s Hospital as the recipient of the national Corporate Impact Award: Excellence in Cancer Control.

The Children’s Hospital was ranked among the top five nationally in the U.S. News & World Report 2011-12 edition of Best Children’s Hospitals. The facility will receive the American Cancer Society’s Excellence in Cancer Control Award for providing health information, programs and benefits that address specific cancer prevention behaviors, and for tracking and reporting on employee health, participation and outcomes.

Reflective of American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity and its goals for tobacco use reduction, The Children’s Hospital offers numerous related benefits to its employees.

Among The Children’s Hospital-provided healthy lifestyle benefits are: membership in a Denver-area Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Hospital Forum, in which local professionals meet to discuss related business policies and issues; Weight Watcher programs and other nutrition and weight loss counseling; hospital cafeteria healthy alternative menu options; information on reading food labels and healthy grocery store choices; on-site yoga; and on-site locker rooms/showers for bicycle-commuting employees.

Employee cancer screening benefits include 100 percent health insurance cost coverage for all preventive care screenings, including those for early cancer detection; free, on-site biometric screening services; mobile mammography testing service; regular employee communications for all offered screening opportunities; wellness coach access, accepted by 72 percent of hospital employees; coverage for cost of cancer vaccines; and online links to American Cancer Society and other health organization information.

Clinical trials benefits range from health insurance coverage at a cost-sharing level that does not present a financial challenge to employees; a guarantee that clinical trial participation does not disqualify employees from other health insurance benefits available to non-trial-participating employees; and to complete employee access to quality regional cancer treatment facilities.

Employees and their family members receive free tobacco cessation products and services, including the American Cancer Society Quit For Life® Program, operated and managed by Alere Wellbeing. Additionally, a cost-incentive program requires employees to self-disclose tobacco usage and be assessed a $50 per month fee – refundable, along with employee-paid premiums, upon completion of any tobacco cessation program.

Lana Yoder Dale, Director of Corporate & Community Relations for The Children's Hospital in Denver

“Two-thirds of all cancers can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices,” says American Cancer Society Great West Division CEO Chuck DeGooyer. “By investing in model workplace wellness practices, The Children’s Hospital is saving lives of their employees as well as saving the lives of their patients.”

The Children’s Hospital’s Excellence in Cancer Control Award is one of six American Cancer Society Corporate Impact Awards Series honors bestowed in recognition of employers’ engagement in targeted efforts to significantly impact cancer’s effect on the workplace, where disease-related expenditures and lost productivity costs annually approach $264 billion. As well, the awards series annually addresses companies’ responsible community involvement, encouragement of employee engagement in the cancer fight, and contributions that embolden the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

“This award means a great deal to us and we are proud to accept it as a symbol of our commitment to the phenomenal employees that work at Children’s,” said Jim Shmerling, president and CEO of The Children’s Hospital. “We thank our partners at the American Cancer Society for recognizing essential cancer prevention strategies. When it comes to cancer, we must not only take care of others, but take care of ourselves, if we are to see a brighter future for all.”

The Impact Awards’ presentation venue, the Society’s Corporate Impact Conference, will host company practitioners from across the nation to address strategies targeting the reduction of cancer’s cost within the workplace and the creation of a healthier, more productive employee base that results in increased morale and personal engagement in the fight against the disease.

The Corporate Impact Awards are presented annually on behalf of the Society’s Corporate & Systems Initiative, an effort which creates meaningful, long-term relationships with corporations and employers of all sizes by engaging them in delivery of the Society’s lifesaving mission and support for its numerous programs and services. The Corporate & Systems Initiative helps companies implement scientifically-sound, comprehensive health and wellness programs and provides information and high-quality support for cancer screening and care to help people stay well and get well.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

King Soopers' Employees Help the American Cancer Society and Fundraise for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

2011-06-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

King Soopers' Store #25 recently held a carnival in the parking lot of the store as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society event, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

The festivities included a dunk tank, pie throwing contest, face painting and a basketball free throw contest.

And of course, there was a lot of amazing food available from; Hot Dogs, Chips, Pop, Lemonade, Snow Cones, Cotton Candy, and the best treats were the Homemade Baked Goodies that all of the stores in Zone 6 baked with lots of TLC and contributed for us to sell during this event.

The event was a huge success and made $1,843.60 in addition to the $10,416.95 already raised.

Putting the FUN in Fundraising

2011-06-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Recently Team Omni, who's participating in this year's Relay For Life of Broomfield, held a Snack Pack eating contest as a fundraiser!

Above you can see how much fun everyone is having all while raising money for Relay. To date, they're raised $1,000, about $100/week from this great idea, and the current record is 26.5 seconds to eat 3 snack packs.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer - Denver Kickoff Breakfast

2011-05-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

The 6th Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff Breakfast was recently held in Denver.

Lynn Cogley, Kristin Hinkins, Erik Ortiz all from the Society helping with Strides check-in

This year, 41 breakfast attendees became American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network members.

RJ Ours, Carlos Estrada, Dana Dzwonkowski from ACS CAN

The Hyatt Regency in the Denver Tech Center was able to provide a healthy breakfast that was delish and filling!

Healthy options for a wonderful breakfast

This year, there were approximately 225 attendees at this year's breakfast making it one of the most successful!

2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency in the Denver Tech Center

Dr. Sami Diab is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and specializes in medical oncology. He's a member of the American Association of Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Prior to forming Colorado Integrative Cancer Care, Dr. Diab practiced at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers.

This year, Dr. Diab was able to bring a new perspective to the kickoff breakfast and shared his insight of where he sees this disease going in the coming years as well as what women need to do to prevent breast cancer.

Dr. Sami Diab

Linda Rhea has been a participant of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer since its inception, five years ago. After meeting Linda, you're inspired to not only raise funds for the Society, but talk to women about what can be done to fight breast cancer. She's an inspiration to so many!

Survivor speaker, Linda Rhea

This year we were so honored to have Melody Mendez, the morning anchor at FOX 31, host the breakfast. She did such a great job, was able to encourage and inspire those in attendance!

Emcee, Melody Mendez from FOX 31

I know so many are looking forward to the 2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K coming up June 12 at Washington Park in Denver.

Jazz Brunch to Benefit the American Cancer Society

2011-05-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society & The Stanley Hotel Partner in the Estes Park Sunday of Hope

The American Cancer Society is proud to partner with The Stanley Hotel for the first ever, Estes Park Sunday of Hope, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 5. The brunch will be hosted in the famous MacGregor Ballroom of the historic hotel and feature the music of the Max Wagner Trio. Guests will be treated to a joyous celebration of music, sumptuous cuisine and auctions.

Reservations for this new American Cancer Society event are $75 per person or $500 for a table of eight and the brunch includes a complimentary glass of champagne. For more information or to reserve seats for the Estes Park Sunday of Hope, please contact the American Cancer Society at 970-350-5019 or nancy.clark@cancer.org

“The hospitality and generosity of The Stanley Hotel has been incredible. Attendees will be personally greeted and treated to an incredible brunch and be able to enjoy all of this while enjoying the breathtaking views of Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel,” says Distinguished Events Director for the American Cancer Society, Nancy Clark. “Max Wagner is renowned in the jazz world and his personal interest in bringing the best of jazz to this event is most appreciated. Also, the proceeds of the event benefit the Society and help us continue to help people, stay well, get well, find cures and fight back against cancer.”

In addition, The Stanley Hotel will donate 20% of the proceeds from room reservations associated with this event to the Society.

About the American Cancer Society

Volunteers for More Birthdays

2011-04-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

Volunteers from the Relay For Life of Brighton, CO

This week is National Volunteer Week and here at the American Cancer Society we are truly grateful for our amazing volunteers!

You too can join the movement for More Birthdays and share the story or why you volunteer at morebirthdays.com

Hope on the Slopes 2011

For nearly 100 years, volunteers have helped the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Hope on the Slopes 2011

Thanks to all those who help save lives today and for future generations. We believe that our volunteers and staff members are the greatest resources in the community. Staff members partner with volunteers as individuals, as groups, and within community systems to bring accurate, innovative, and compassionate answers to the people we serve. We organize our volunteers and staff members to deliver our mission in specific communities in the most effective way. Mobilizing volunteers is vital to how we prevent cancer, save lives, and diminish suffering from this disease.

Visit cancer.org to find out how you can get involved today!

Colorado ACS CAN Holds Rally at State Capital

2011-04-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Cancer Community Alarmed by Budget Cuts

Denver, Colorado- Cancer survivors and advocates plan to rally at the State Capitol Wednesday in response to the Legislature’s intent to cut millions of dollars from life saving cancer screening and treatment programs to balance the state budget. With one in every two men and one in every three women facing a cancer diagnosis in their life time, advocates are speaking out to remind the legislature that in tough economic times we are still combating these alarming statistics, creating a critical need for safety net cancer programs now more than ever.

“The people served by these programs are uninsured and in many cases have no where else to go for life saving cancer screening and treatment.” said Dana Dzwonkowski, Colorado Director of Government Relations for ACS CAN. “When funding for these programs is cut so drastically, those who would have been screened and diagnosed early, will be left to get worse, likely to the point where cure is no longer an option”

Similar to the past two years, the Legislature has opted to cut funding to safety net programs that screen and treat uninsured Coloradoans for breast, cervical and colon cancer. Deep cuts are also being proposed for the Colorado Quitline and the state tobacco control program. Cuts to these programs will ultimately translate into a hefty price tag for the state down the line when less people have quit smoking and more people have grown ill with late state cancer gone undetected.

“In 2009, I had just lost my job and my insurance. Thankfully I was able to access a mammogram through the Women’s Wellness Connection”, said breast cancer survivor and Komen volunteer Largressa Munnerlyn. “Had my cancer not been detected through the WWC program, I could have lost my life to breast cancer. As a result of the proposed cuts, over 5,000 women will not have the same life saving access that I had.”

Collectively, these programs have saved the state millions of dollars in future health care costs by helping over 25,000 smokers quit last year alone, and screening over 65,000 uninsured Coloradoans for breast, cervical and colon cancer since 2007. With these programs facing cuts between 44 and 75 percent, the most vulnerable will be forced to forego routine screenings and smoking cessation services. When these programs serve fewer people, Colorado’s uninsured are put at risk and the state is burdened with the long term Medicaid costs of treating late stage cancer and smoking related illness.

“Access to routine cancer screenings is critical to detecting many cancers in their early and most treatable stages. Equally as important is access to counseling and treatment services for those who want to quit smoking” said Dzwonkowski. “This year in Colorado, an estimated 18,900 people will be diagnosed with cancer and 6,700 will die from the disease. We want our lawmakers to support legislation which will help reduce the burden of cancer across the state.”

Roxanne Johnson, Executive Director of the Colorado Cancer Coalition, expressed deep concern at the proposed scaling back of life saving cancer programs, saying, “As a cancer survivor and long time cancer advocate I have seen first hand the devastating effects this disease has on a person’s spirit and quality of life.” Johnson continued, “The nearly 700 members of the Cancer Coalition have worked tirelessly to reduce cancer incidence and increase early detection in Colorado, it’s devastating to know that these cuts will cause us to take so many steps backward in that endeavor.”

Expert Voices Blog Launches on Cancer.org

2011-03-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

This week the American Cancer Society launched a new experience on cancer.org called Expert Voices. Found at cancer.org/expertvoices, the blog is for anyone interested in health topics related to cancer. That audience may include those in treatment, those who have lost a loved one to the disease, students writing research papers, those who want to reduce their risk of cancer, and others.

Because it is expected that most of the people reading this blog will not have scientific or medical training, Expert Voices will use language that is accessible for all readers but still medically and scientifically accurate and credible.

Below is an excerpt from the latest posting:

Is Cancer Screening Going to the Dogs?

There's been a lot of news lately about cancer-sniffing dogs after a new study by Japanese researcher Hideto Sonoda and his colleagues was published in the medical journal Gut. So we couldn't help but wonder, is that possible?

If you haven't heard about it, the recent study suggests that specially-trained dogs can identify the scent of volatile chemicals (those that evaporate into the air at room temperature) present in colon cancer.

In the study, a Labrador sniffed breath samples and stool samples from patients who were known to have colon cancer, which had been identified by colonoscopy and biopsy. The dog correctly recognized cancer-related scents in 91% of the breath samples and 97% of the stool samples. And amazingly, when the dog was allowed to sniff breath and stool samples from patients who didn't have colon cancer, the dog incorrectly "diagnosed" only 1% as malignant. This study adds to a small number of other published articles showing similar results for bladder, lung, and breast cancers, and to a recent conference presentation regarding prostate cancer.

In addition to these experimental studies, there have been several anecdotal reports of patients whose pet dogs seemed attracted to or upset by skin and breast cancers.

To entire article may be found on cancer.org/expertvoices

American Cancer Society Staff Member Joins the Grand Club

2011-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Mountain Region Administrative Manager, Patricia Sewell, is a member of the Grand Club! She's a team member of The Chunkette's Hogs who participate in the Relay For Life of Colorado Springs and this will be their second year as a team for this particular Relay event.

Patricia says,
   "My reason to relay is in honor and memory of my dear friend Annette Chunko. She was a cancer survivor for about 8 years, until in November of 2010, she went to heaven.
   I am an Ovarian Cancer Survivor - diagnosed in Oct of 2004. My sister is Breast Cancer Survivor. I lost my mother of Ovarian Cancer almost 3 years ago.
   To me raising funds to find a cure is personal and my wish is that noone will have to hear the words: you have cancer as a death sentence. Let's find the cure."

Patricia has raised $1,170 up to now and says the event is in June, and is hoping to meet her $1,500 goal by then.

This is a picture of the team from the Relay in 2010!

Pink Ladies Relay For Life Team Recognized for 13 Years of Service

2011-03-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Pink Ladies take part in the Greeley, CO Relay For Life and have been active participants for the past 14 years raising more than $325,000 for Relay. This year, they were honored at the Pink Ladies Brunch as a Top 5 team in District K within the American Cancer Society's Great West Division.

An excerpt from the article that ran in the Greeley Tribune stated:
   The group averages about 15 members a year, Sills says, with all of the original members still participating.
   “You can become a Pink Lady just if you express an interest,” Sills said, although she added there are a couple of requirements for anyone wishing to join the Pink Ladies team. “We’re all breast cancer survivors, and you have to have or have had breast cancer. We also require each person to raise at least $1,000 each relay.”
   Sills said their goal each year is to raise the most money.
   “Some years we’ve raised as much as $33,000. Last year I think we raised about $27,000, but we’ve come a long way because when we first started we were delighted to raise $3,000,” she said. “We’ve just been fortunate.”

For the full article, visit the Greeley Tribune.

March 4th is Dress in Blue Day for Colorectal Cancer Awareness

2011-03-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

Dress in Blue Day takes place on the first Friday in March (March 4, 2011) and encourages individuals, businesses and community groups to wear blue (the national colorectral cancer awareness color) and talk to each other about the importance of colorectal cancer prevention and screening. The Colorado Cancer Coalition’s (CCC) Colorectal Cancer Task Force is spearheading a statewide campaign to encourage Coloradoans to “Dress in Blue.”

This March, the American Cancer Society and the CCC’s Colorectal Cancer Task Force are encouraging men and women 50 and older to make getting tested for colorectal cancer a priority. Colorectal cancer (commonly referred to as colon cancer) is one of only two cancers that can actually be prevented through screening, which allows doctors to find polyps in the colon and remove them before they turn cancerous. Regularly scheduled colorectal cancer screening can help save lives and help achieve the American Cancer Society’s goal of creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Every ten minutes a life is lost to colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 142,000 new cases of colon and rectal cancer were diagnosed in 2010 with an estimated 1,800 new cases in Colorado. Dress in Blue Day is designed to encourage people to talk about the disease while stressing the importance of timely colorectal cancer screening.

Although many people may consider colorectal cancer an embarrassing topic of conversation, talking about the importance of being screened can save lives. Through recommended screening, this cancer can be caught early when treatment is most effective — or even prevented altogether when pre-cancerous polyps are detected and removed. Talking with your health care provider about colorectal cancer is essential to ensure optimal screening, prevention and early detection, and treatment.

In addition to screening, there are healthy lifestyle behaviors individuals can adopt to reduce risk of colon cancer. Studies show that being overweight or obese increases risk of colon cancer, and people whose diets include a high amount of red and processed meats are at increased risk. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on five or more days of the week; and consume a healthy diet that includes five or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day, whole grains (instead of processed grains and sugars), limited alcohol and processed and red meats, and controlled portion sizes (visit cancer.org/GreatAmericans for tips and ideas on how to eat healthy and exercise regularly).

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, about 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

About the Colorado Cancer Coalition Colorectal Task Force

This task force of the Colorado Cancer Coalition is a partnership of over 25 organizations and individuals from multiple disciplines, dedicated to saving lives through efforts to prevent colorectal cancer. The primary focus of this task force is prevention, as colorectal cancer is a truly preventable cancer. Because many of the prevention strategies focus on public awareness, a sub-group developed to focus on marketing and awareness activities.

Local Students Raise Funds For Cancer

2011-02-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

On February 18th Chatfield students collected $649 in under 5 minutes and Columbine students collected $178 for a total of $827 during the halftime of the Boys Basketball game between Chatfield Senior H.S. and Columbine H.S. held at Chatfield. Chatfield students' goal this year is to raise $40,000 for the Littleton Relay for Life event which will be held on Saturday, May 14th from 5 p.m. until Sunday, May 15th at 9 a.m. This event draws over 350 students from Chatfield every year to get involved in raising money for the American Cancer Society. At the basketball game the students wore white shirts and different colored bandanas.

The students from these schools participate in Relay For Life events in the Denver area and their staff partner is Monica Wilde. Please click on this link, story, to read the rest of the story about these incredible kids!

Hope Invitational Golf Tournament, 2011

2011-02-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Planning for the Sixth Annual Hope Invitational is now underway despite our heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures, although you can't tell we're still in Winter today as it feels much more like Spring!

Hope Invitational 2011

Work on your swing in the off season and warm up for this signature event that benefits the programs and services of the American Cancer Society in the Denver metro area. Honorary Chair, Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl, is returning this year, certain to bring a powerful message to inspire our guests. Local partners such as CIGNA, DCP Midstream, St. Anthony Hospital, LabCorp, Deloitte, and First Western Trust Bank work to make this a significant, executive-level tournament each year.

The Hope Invitational will be held at The Club at Pradera in Parker, CO on Monday, June 13^th, 2011. Join us in this important round of golf.

The Club at Pradera

The Hope Invitational will be held at The Club at Pradera in Parker, CO on Monday, June 13^th, 2011. Join us in this important round of golf. For details and sponsorship opportunities, contact Jane Barnes @ 720-524-5446 or jane.barnes@cancer.org.

Plazzo Verdi, Greenwood Village, CO

Now in its third year, the Taste of Hope has become a highlight of the Hope Invitational. Join our event sponsor, CoBiz Financial, guests, and committee members as they highlight the work of the Society, showcase stunning auction packages, and enjoy fabulous food and drink.

Plazzo Verdi, Greenwood Village, CO

Plan on arriving early as guests will also have access to the Madden Museum of Art at the start of this signature event. This event is open to sponsors and players in the Hope Invitational and will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2011.

For details and sponsorship opportunities, contact Jane Barnes by calling 720-524-5446 or email her at, jane.barnes@cancer.org.

Great West Division Scholarship Program

2011-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

The deadline for the Great West Division Scholarship Program is approaching! All students who are interested need to have their applications filled out by February 25, 2011. Information about the program is available on cancer.org, through American Cancer Society staff or by calling 1-800-227-2345.

Image provided by the American Cancer Society

New Pay-If Researcher Awarded in Denver

2011-02-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

Dr. Jacob M. Gump, PhD is the Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Andrew Thorburn Laboratory, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Dr. Gump, Dr. Marianne Kipper, Dr. Jean Morrell looking at slides in Dr. Gump's lab.

Dr. Gump is a Colorado native, born and raised in Denver. He received his Bachlor's degree in Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder campus and his PhD from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Kipper, John Finegan of ACS, Dr. Gump, Karen Hill of ACS and Julia DeFehr of ACS

Dr. Gump and his wife Megan, a University of Colorado medical student and their 4-year-old son Eli live in Denver. His investigation, entitled Manipulation of Autophagy to Improve Lymphoma Treatment, will advance our understanding of the process that affect the outcome of Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment and will serve as a platform upon which appropriate human trials can be based and interpreted.

Dr. Marianne Kipper & Dr. Jean Morrell, both St. George Award Winners for 2010

The American Cancer Society's research agenda is simple. As the largest not-for-profit source of non-governmental funding for basic cancer research, we seek out the most promising scientists - the best and the brightest - and make sure they have the money they need to pursue their dream. This dream is ours too. It's the dream of conquering cancer.

Hope Mountain Camp, Winter 2011

2011-01-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

The following is a recap from the Hope Mountain Camp Winter 2011 Session from American Cancer Society staff member, Amanda Childs:

Our journey this session did not disappoint and held up the long tradition of many special moments and fun times by all who attended.

As most of you know, I like to give you a recap so you can feel the impact we are making.... they just but one example of how the American Cancer Society IS making a difference.... even in what seems like the smallest ways. If you know anything about me (and here's lesson for those who don't) I LOVE THIS CAMP, these kids are THE most special part of my job. This year we had more applicants then we have ever had and wow... turning a kid away and telling them they cant come along this time was/is not something I want to have to do..... but the flip side to that is that this session we had more NEW kids at one session than I had ever had while in charge of this camp.

I'm going to do things a little different this recap and instead of giving you a day by day account of our experiences this time -- I want to just give you a few highlights and lots of photos!

We arrived in Breckenridge on Friday and after unpacking and dinner we went DISCO ice Skating! Of course when you go disco ice skating, you have to dress up and indeed we did! I'll include a group shot so that you can get a feel of the fun. Everyone jumped right in like they were a bunch of pros and it was a great way to start the weekend off as a group, especially y for the new kids.

Saturday was skiing and boarding.... everyone got their own instructor, some got two,,, it was a great day on the mountain for all.

Saturday night brought down time and lots of camp games likes Mafia and Jenga box (a new one the boys made up).

Sunday morning it was up early again and back to the mountain for a 1/2 day of skiing and boarding. After lunch we tackled the TUBING HILL... this is quickly becoming one of the most favorite activities of the kids and I have to agree. Tons of fun. Wait until you see the onsies that these boys wore the entire weekend!

Sunday night we had our sharing circle, which is a very special time for our group. I had them each bring an object this year that reminds them of something they do with their siblings or reminds them of their sibling. It was a different way for them all to talk about what they had been through or are going through... and these kids never cease to amaze me with their strength, love and unconditional support for one another. I know, without any doubts, that for some of them... this is the ONLY time they open up about their anger, their fears... their loss, they learn they aren't alone. They truly have a bond with each other that is so special, and so necessary. and of course it ended in one big hug!
Sunday night came with many prayers of being snowed in........ no one ever wants camp to end.

Monday came with wind and snow!!! So our morning was cut short and we weren't able to do our morning activities... instead had to do the chores of cleaning the lodge, writing our thank yous, packing up.... 4 1/2 hours after we had left Breckenridge, we made it back to Denver.

It's funny, when the gang was all wishing to be snowed in to the BOEC on Sunday night, I kept saying to them... uh NO. I need to go home and be where its quiet and I'm not policing your behavior and I get to snuggle with my Liam. But here I am... 4 days later.. missing these kids, wishing we had another weekend of fun together planned. They are just a great group.

Thank you SO SO SO much to Kate O'Brien for being my wing-man and giving up her 3-day weekend to go along with me.

THANK YOU SO SO much to the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center!! Starting with Claire who helps me plans our trips, and Katie Jack who is the best course director I have ever had. She keeps us organized and safe and fed and in the fun! Our interns Leah, Kevin and Wendy were awesome....and thank you also to their Ski office staff who make these arrangements for us to get the kids on the mountain at one of the busiest times of year. The Breackenride Outdoor Education Center is just an AMAZING group... and if you ever have an occasion to support them... please DO!. Here is their website if you'd like to learn more about them: www.boec.org

Multicultural Conference on Breast Health to be Held in Denver

2011-01-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

The Multicultural Conference on Breast Health, which is being held on Saturday, February 5, 2011, at the Renaissance Denver Hotel. We are targeting women from medically underserved communities, including low-income, uninsured, underinsured, or at-risk African Americans, Asians, Caucasians, Latinas, Lesbians and Native Americans. This conference is an excellent opportunity for women to learn about breast health, including breast self-awareness. mammograms and clinical exams. Interested women need to RSVP to 303-744-2088, ext. 309.

Hope on the Slopes 2011

2011-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

You are invited to participate in and support the American Cancer Society at the 6th Annual Hope on the Slopes event in Breckenridge, CO on February 26, 2011!

Hope on the Slopes provides avid skiers and snowboarders an opportunity to make your day of skiing or riding more meaningful by raising money and awareness for the American Cancer Society, the nation's #1 nonprofit contributor of funds for cancer research.

Whether you are in Summit County or the Denver area, there is a HOTS Interest Session-Happy Hour coming soon near you!

In Summit County? Please join us for the upcoming Hope on the Slopes Interest Session:
When: Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 5:00-7:00pm (stop in anytime during those hours)
Where: Fatty’s Pizzeria - 106 S Ridge Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424 (upstairs room)
Who: Interested participants, sponsors, volunteers, and current teams/participants
What: Join us for more information, ask questions, turn in fundraising dollars, and register for the event!

In the Denver area? Come join us for an Interest Session/Happy Hour!
When: Thursday, January 27, 2011 from 6:00-9:00pm
Where: College Inn - Bar & Restaurant - 4400 East 8th Avenue, Denver, CO 80220
Who: Any interested participants, sponsors, volunteers, and current teams/participants
What: Join us for more information, a raffle for a free $200 team registration, 20% donation of food bills to the event

Visit: BRECKHOTS.ORG to get more information and you can sign up today!!

Gas Cards For Cancer Patients

2011-01-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation granted $7,500 to the American Cancer Society. The money is to be used for gas cards to assist El Paso and Teller county cancer patients with transportation to treatment.

PHOTO: Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation Executive Director Doris Ralston (center right) presents a check to Scott Dishong, Executive Director of the American Cancer Society.

Other Society staff in the photograph include, (L to R) Lily Gross, Janeen Bonacci, Deanna Cordo, (Scott & Doris), Samantha Thompson and Stacy Anderson.

The cancer treatment facilities in Colorado Springs and Denver see patients from all over El Paso and Teller counties. With the cost of cancer already impacting a family’s finances, the cost to go to treatment is an added expense.

Grant funds are to be used to purchase and distribute 150 prepaid $50 American Express “Fill It Up” gas cards to low income, uninsured or Medicaid-eligible cancer patients currently living in or receiving treatment in El Paso and Teller Counties.

The Osteopathic Foundation’s purpose is to improve the health and well-being of the community consistent with its Osteopathic heritage. It accomplishes this by making grants to qualified health-related nonprofit organizations that meet its mission priorities and collaborating with like-minded organizations to develop solutions to meet community health needs.

For more information about the gas cards and qualifications, contact Stacy Anderson, Quality of Life Manager at the American Cancer Society, at 630-4974.

And in Grand County…

With a grant from the Grand County Foundation the American Cancer Society is offering free gas cards and hotel vouchers for Grand County cancer patients who are currently in treatment.

The gas cards ($100) and hotels vouchers ($50) are to help offset the cost of travel during cancer treatment. Recipients must be from Grand County and are limited to two cards and vouchers.

The American Cancer Society also offers free rides to cancer treatments, as well as wigs for those who have lost their hair. Classes are also available to teach female cancer patients beauty tips to look better and feel good about how they look during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

American Cancer Society Offers Scholarships to Colorado Cancer Survivors

2011-01-11T12:37:00.000-08:00

Young Colorado cancer survivors eligible for $2,500 towards education

There are very few times in a person’s life more traumatic than the day they hear the words: “You have cancer.” In an instant, their lives turn upside down and they are faced with a myriad of decisions, questions and fears.

Now imagine hearing those words and being a young child whose only concerns should be too much homework or when they can play with their friends.

For those young people who have gone through the trauma of a cancer diagnosis, the American Cancer Society has developed a program that will take some of the concern from their shoulders as they approach their college years. The Society’s Cancer Survivor College Scholarship Program is designed to help students who have been diagnosed with cancer pay for part of their tuition.

The Cancer Survivor College Scholarship Program is designed to provide financial assistance for young cancer survivors as they pursue their post secondary education. The possible lifetime award is up to $10,000 per student, offered in increments of $2,500 per academic year. Applications from qualified Colorado students are being accepted now through Feb. 25, 2011. Application packets can be obtained by calling 866-500-3272 or 1-800-ACS-2345.

The scholarships may be used for enrollment and attendance tuition, fees, and books required for course instruction at an accredited college, university, community college, or vocational/technical school or visit cancer.org.

To be eligible to apply for the scholarships, the students must be cancer survivors diagnosed before the age of 21 and age 25 or younger at the time of submitting the application, graduating from a high school and/or continuing college in the upcoming school year, a U.S. citizen and resident of Colorado, have a 2.5 GPA, and will be a full time student. If selected to receive a scholarship, the money will be awarded in May, 2011. Past scholarship winners need to reapply for the scholarship each year.

Women's Wellness Connection Offers Free Cervical Cancer Screenings

2011-01-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

January is National Cervical Cancer Screening Month. It’s a new year and one of the most important resolutions you can make is to care for yourself. A Pap test can find abnormal cervical cells, years before any cancer actually exists. 92% of women SURVIVE cervical cancer when it’s found early through routine screenings! Don’t let any more time slip by! Get your FREE test now! Encourage other women in your life – mother, sister, wife, friend, neighbor or co-worker – to take control of her health and get checked!

Contact the Women’s Wellness Connection to see if you qualify for these FREE screenings.

Call 1-866-951-9355 or go to www.womenswellnessconnection.org.

January is National Cervical Cancer Screening Month

2011-01-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

What is cervical cancer?

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). It is sometimes called the uterine cervix. The body of the uterus (the upper part) is where a baby grows. The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endocervix. The part next to the vagina is the exocervix (or ectocervix). The 2 main types of cells covering the cervix are squamous cells (on the exocervix) and glandular cells (on the endocervix). The place where these 2 cell types meet is called the transformation zone. Most cervical cancers start in the transformation zone

Most cervical cancers begin in the cells lining the cervix. These cells do not suddenly change into cancer. Instead, the normal cells of the cervix first gradually develop pre-cancerous changes that turn into cancer. Doctors use several terms to describe these pre-cancerous changes, including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL), and dysplasia. These changes can be detected by the Pap test and treated to prevent the development of cancer (see "Can cervical cancer be prevented?").

Cervical cancers and cervical pre-cancers are classified by how they look under a microscope. There are 2 main types of cervical cancers: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. About 80% to 90% of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. These cancers are from the squamous cells that cover the surface of the exocervix. Under the microscope, this type of cancer is made up of cells that are like squamous cells. Squamous cell carcinomas most often begin where the exocervix joins the endocervix.

Most of the other cervical cancers are adenocarcinomas. Cervical adenocarcinomas seem to have becoming more common in the past 20 to 30 years. Cervical adenocarcinoma develops from the mucus-producing gland cells of the endocervix. Less commonly, cervical cancers have features of both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. These are called adenosquamous carcinomas or mixed carcinomas.

Although cervical cancers start from cells with pre-cancerous changes (pre-cancers), only some of the women with pre-cancers of the cervix will develop cancer. The change from cervical pre-cancer to cervical cancer usually takes several years, but it can happen in less than a year. For most women, pre-cancerous cells will go away without any treatment. Still, in some women pre-cancers turn into true (invasive) cancers. Treating all pre-cancers can prevent almost all true cancers. Pre-cancerous changes and specific types of treatment for pre-cancers are discussed in the sections, "How are cervical cancers and pre-cancers diagnosed?" and "Treating pre-cancers and other abnormal Pap test results."

Pre-cancerous changes are separated into different categories based on how the cells of the cervix look under a microscope. These categories are discussed in the section, "How are cervical cancers and pre-cancers diagnosed?"

Although almost all cervical cancers are either squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas, other types of cancer also can develop in the cervix. These other types, such as melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma, occur more commonly in other parts of the body.

This document discusses the more common cervical cancer types, and will not further discuss these rare types.

**All information was taken from cancer.org**

Local Woman Starts Brassier Drive

2010-12-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

For more information, please go to Debbie Griffin's Fresh Ink page.

Local Business Gives to Local Relay For Life

2010-12-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

Peak Power Engineering recently donated $5,000 Lakewood/Golden/Wheat Ridge Relay For Life!

Peak Power Engineering staff members stopped by the Denver office of the American Cancer Society this week and presented a check to ACS Staff members Scott Dishong and Amy Richardson.

In the photo: Aaron Vienot, Larry Brenton, Howard Davidson, Scott Dishong, Amy Richardson

87.7 The Ticket MVP Holiday Bash

2010-12-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

It’s the Inaugural 87.7 The TICKET MVP Holiday Bash benefiting the American Cancer Society!

Monday, December 20^th, 2010

7-10P

@ Sports Column

Come Celebrate the holidays with Dexter Fowler, Champ Bailey, Daniel Graham, John Lynch, Ed McCaffrey, and many more of your favorite names in Denver sports.

Tickets Include Complimentary Food and Heineken Beer

Get a four-pack of tickets for $87 or individual tickets are available for $25 and a portion of the ticket price will go to your local American Cancer Society!

(Must be at least 21 years of age to attend)

Go to 877theticket.com to order tickets

(seats are limited)

87.7 The TICKET sincerely wishes you and your loved ones the very happiest of holidays!

The Inaugural 87.7 The TICKET MVP Holiday Bash presented by:

Heinken, Sports Column, 87.7 the Ticket & Bill's Sports Collectibles

Thank You Volunteers!

2010-12-10T09:16:00.001-08:00

Last night the Denver office of the American Cancer Society hosted its Second Annual Volunteer Appreciation Holiday Party. Thanks to everyone who came and made the night so special!

We are so lucky to have so many wonderful, dedicated volunteers and supports of the American Cancer Society, we can't thank you enough!

We'd also like to thank the staff who attended last night and the Carrabba's in Aurora, CO (store #0606) for donating all the food! It was delish and generous!

Consumer-Friendly Guide Explains How Affordable Care Act Helps Cancer Patients and Their Families

2010-12-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Cancer patients and their families looking for information on how the new Affordable Care Act will help them better access health care can now turn to a new consumer-friendly guide developed by the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The guide, which features the stories of real people who have battled cancer or helped loved ones fight the disease, describes how provisions of the law improve the quality of care and make health care more affordable, available and easier for patients to understand.

“This consumer guide is part of the American Cancer Society’s efforts to educate the public about the Affordable Care Act and its benefits for cancer patients, survivors and their families,” said Dana Dzwonkowski, Colorado Government Relations Director for ACS CAN. “We want people to understand that the law, while not perfect, will meaningfully improve the health care system for people with cancer and save lives.”

Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, key provisions have gone into effect that are giving seniors, children and the uninsured better access to quality, affordable health care. These provisions, as well as those that will be implemented over the next few years, will meaningfully improve the health care system for people touched by cancer. The new law will ensure that people with cancer will no longer:

Be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions;
Be charged more for their coverage because of health status;
Be faced with annual or lifetime coverage limits that cause a sudden termination of care; or
Have to choose between saving their life or their life savings because they lack access to affordable coverage.

The guide outlines how the new Affordable Care Act will improve the quality and cost of health care in the United States for people with cancer and those at risk for cancer. It divides the information into easy-to-understand sections, including: Providing Quality Care; Making Health Care More Affordable; Making Health Care More Easily Available; and Making Health Care More Simple.

The guide also clarifies some of the myths about the new law that began circulating during the legislative debate. In addition, the guide highlights three real-world stories of people who exemplify how the Affordable Care Act is meaningfully improving the health care system.

“By describing how the Affordable Care Act has positively impacted the lives of real people, we hope cancer patients and their families will gain a clear understanding of how the new health care law can help them,” said Ms. Dzwonkowski. “This guide provides simple and straightforward information for patients about what is actually included in the law and when the provisions take effect.”

The guide is posted on both the American Cancer Society’s and ACS CAN’s Web sites. Click here to access it directly: http://bit.ly/ckX0Qu.

Love Lights a Tree

2010-12-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is a time to reflect on the past year and remember those who have touched our lives. Take time to recognize and honor those special people by taking part in the American Cancer Society's Love Lights A Tree.

For as little as a $10 contribution to the American Cancer Society, a light will shine brightly on a special tree at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. A memory book housed at Broadmoor West will also list your loved one's name and an acknowledgement card will be mailed to the individual or family. The book will be updated weekly through Christmas week. Tax-deductible donations support American Cancer Society research, education, advocacy and services.

The 22nd annual event was recently held at The Broadmoor and included Christmas entertainment courtesy of The Broadmoor and an appearance by Santa Claus.

Love Lights A Tree is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and The Broadmoor.

For more information, please contact Deanna Cordo at the American Cancer Society at 719-630-4964. The proceeds from this event benefit the Relay For Life of Colorado Springs.

Cherry Creek High School Students Lend a Helping Hand

2010-12-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

Cherry Creek High School's DECA club sponsored a Hope Mountain Camp Fall potluck on November 13th.

Cherry Creek High School's DECA group has been working towards a chapter project that is helping create awareness and education on the CCHS campus, sponsoring the evening with the Hope Mountain Camp siblings was part of their program. It was a unique experience for the students to see how their fundraising efforts directly affects kids their own age who are having to go through the cancer journey with their sick siblings.

A fun night of dinner, camp games and a unique cancer awareness project where the Hope Mountain Camp kids decorated tiles expressing what cancer means to them. The tiles will be displayed at Cherry Creek High School. Sharing what everyone's tiles meant was a particularly special part of the evening and by the end of the night, we were all close friends!

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in the News!

2010-11-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

Recently, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Colorado has been able to help the local ABC affiliate, KMGH, with a couple of news stories.

The first story aired on November 11, 2010 and was about new ads that are meant to stop smokers from lighting up. Our ACS CAN Federal Director, RJ Ours, was able to talk with the media that day and shared some very insightful knowledge about what corpses, cancer patients and diseased lungs on the covers of cigarette packages could do to the sale tobacco products.

The second story aired last night, November 17, 2011 and featured the state ACS CAN Director, Dana Dzwonkowski. She spoke to the the tobacco programs funding cuts in the state. Please check out the stories when you get the opportunity, they provide great insight into our fight against cancer!

Powerful Choices: Dispelling Cancer Myths

2010-11-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

Women's Wellness Connection

2010-11-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

This past year, the Women's Wellness Connection provided almost 17,000 cancer screenings for women in Colorado, a fourteen percent increase from the previous year. This resulted in 256 women being diagnosed with earlier stage cancer being detected than if these same women were diagnosed at a later date. With earlier detection, better treatment, care, and outcomes have been demonstrated. This is a lifesaving program, and Colorado Women's Wellness Connection has been recently cited as a model program in presentations to other states.

back row: Dan Huse, Carla Woolford, Lynne Swanson, Karen Hill, Terry Stanfill, Tiffany Reed, Jo Bottorff, Michelle Hubbard, Kathy Rhodes, Teresa Waite
front row: Joanne Vermeulen, Linda Gregory, B.J. Boucher, Marcia Van de Boorgaard

Congratulations to the Society's WWC Community Coordinators and their colleagues at the State Department of Health.

Cold Turkey Isn't Just for Thanksgiving!

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

As the official sponsor of birthdays, the American Cancer Society marks the 35^th Great American Smokeout on November 18 by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. According to an American Cancer Society report[1], smokers who quit can expect to live as many as ten years longer (that’s ten more birthdays) than those who continue to smoke. Smokers who want to quit can call the American Cancer Society Quit For Life® Program operated and managed by Free & Clear® at 1-800-227-2345 for tobacco cessation and coaching services that can help increase their chances of quitting for good. The Society also has online tools at www.cancer.org/Smokeout, such as a crave button and a quit clock to help smokers plan towards kicking the habit for good.

Research shows that much of the risk of premature death from smoking could be prevented by quitting. Smokers who quit, regardless of age, live longer than people who continue to smoke. Smokers who quit reduce their risk of lung cancer – ten years after quitting, the lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. Quitting also lowers the risk for other major diseases including heart disease and stroke.

“Quitting smoking is an important step towards staying well and creating a world with more birthdays,” said Karen Hill, Mountain Region Vice President for the Society. “The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout is a great first step towards quitting or making a plan to quit, and the Society can help smokers through a variety of resources including personalized telephone coaching by trained specialists.”

The American Cancer Society created the trademarked concept for and held its first Great American Smokeout in 1976 as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for a day. One million people quit smoking for a day at the 1976 event in California. The Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to commit to making a long-term plan to quit smoking for good.

Important facts about tobacco use:

o Tobacco use remains the world’s most preventable cause of death.

o Cigarette smoking accounts for about 443,000 premature deaths – including 49,400 in nonsmokers.

o Thirty percent of cancer deaths, including 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to smoking.

o Smoking accounts for more than $193 billion in health care expenditures and productivity losses annually.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, about 11 million people in

America

who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

[1] Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2010

Dancing with Cancer

2010-11-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

Denver Quality of Life Manager, Lynn Cogley, recently sent me this information she received.

Below is a statement from a breast cancer survivor, Renee, who was diagnosed in 2005 and began ballroom dancing in 2006 and who credits a great deal of her recovery to being active!

"I credit ballroom dancing for my recovery from breast cancer. Not only did dancing help my physically, especially with the range of motion in my arm, it also helped me with the whole chemo brain (same benefit as with Alzheimer patients) It also got me back to actually giving a darn about my appearance. It was absolutely helpful in strengthening my relationship with my husband and as a dancer, I feel beautiful. You've got to be physically and emotionally close to dance!"

For information on the dancing school, please contact Lucinda at 303-277-0930. She is offering a special discount to anyone who says they were referred by Lynn Cogley, so if you're interested, please do so!

Lucinda is certified by the US Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and teaches the Waltz, Fox Trot, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Cha Cha, Mambo, Samba, Bolero, Salsa, Merengue and the East or West Coast Swing. Her studio is located in Northwest Denver at 50th & Lowell.

New Volunteers Selected to Lead American Cancer Society

2010-11-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

Just a few weeks ago, the American Cancer Society, the nation’s largest voluntary health organization, elected 11 new officers to its volunteer 2010-2011 National Board of Directors during its annual meeting in Atlanta. The organization’s National Assembly and National Board of Directors, the Society’s primary governing bodies, have been comprised of elected volunteers since the organization’s inception in 1913.

Leading the Assembly will be the newly elected President Edward E. Partridge, M.D., of Birmingham, Ala., and presiding over the Board will be Chair Stephen L. Swanson, of Allison Park, Penn. Other officers elected were W. Phil Evans, III, M.D., F.A.C.R., of Dallas, Texas, president-elect; Cynthia M. LeBlanc, EdD, M.A., of Richmond, Cal., chair-elect; Gary M. Reedy, of Dresher, Penn., vice chair; Daniel P. Heist, C.P.A., of State College, Penn., treasurer; Lila R. Johnson, R.N., M.P.H., C.H.E.S., of Honolulu, HI, secretary; Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., M.D., of New Haven, Conn., first vice president; Tim E. Byers, M.D., M.P.H., of Aurora, Colo., second vice president; Alan G. Thorson, M.D., F.A.C.S., of Omaha, Neb., immediate past president; and George W. P. Atkins of Atlanta, Ga., immediate past chair.

Locally we are honored to have, Tim E. Byers, M.D., M.P.H., as the second vice-president. He is the associate director at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, the associate dean for the Public Health Practice at the Colorado School for Public Health, and a nationally recognized epidemiologist. Originally serving as a peer reviewer in the Extramural Research Grants program and as a member of the epidemiology team planning for Cancer Prevention Study- II analyses, Dr. Byers has been an American Cancer Society volunteer for nearly thirty years.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end cancer for good. As a global grassroots force of three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping you stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early, helping you get well by being there for you during and after a diagnosis, by finding cures through groundbreaking discovery and fighting back through public policy. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in

America

who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Raise Money & Have Fun Doing It!

2010-11-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

The American Cancer Society in Denver has partnered with the Colorado Mammoth and the University of Denver Men's Basketball team for some exciting fundraising opportunities!

First on the calendar is Coaches vs Cancer, Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend coming up Saturday, January 29, 2011. Any and all fundraisers are welcome to participate and may do so by contacting their staff partner to get the appropriate web address. Tickets to the game are $11 (excluding taxes and ticketmaster fees which make the ticket $14) and half of the ticket price will go to your Relay For Life, Making Strides or Climb Against Cancer team of choice! An added bonus - the winning team will have the opportunity to go early to the game and watch the shootaround before the Pioneers take on North Texas!

The second opportunity is with the Colorado Mammoth indoor lacrosse team on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. 50% of the $15 ticket price will go directly back to the individual who signs up for this opportunity and will benefit that persons Relay For Life, Making Strides or Climb Against Cancer team. If you'd like to participate in this event on behalf of the American Cancer Society, please contact Kristen Melander at 303-405-1148 or kmelander@pepsicenter.com.

And remember, you can always ask your staff partner about these great opportunities!

Colorado Gives Day

2010-11-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

Coming up in about a month, on December 8 2010, the Community First Foundation will host Colorado Gives Day.

This opportunity to support and give back to Colorado nonprofits is made possible by Community First Foundation, a Denver-based community foundation whose mission is “to improve quality of life by increasing community generosity and involvement.” GivingFirst.org is a program of our Nonprofit Preservation Initiative, which was launched in 2004 to preserve the future of Colorado nonprofits.

The goal of the organization is to make donating to local charities an easier and more informed experience for you. By offering comprehensive, objective and up-to-date information about nonprofits, we hope GivingFirst.org becomes indispensable for your local giving.

And by helping hundreds of organizations raise awareness online, our goal is also to provide greater support to organizations that are essential for protecting and nurturing the quality of life in Colorado.

To give to the American Cancer Society please visit Givingfirst.org/acs. Please share this information with your friends and family!

The Dollars & Sense of Cancer Care

2010-10-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society is joining forces with Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Rose Medical Center to present Dollars and Sense of Cancer Care, a presentation and panel discussion on funding cancer care. This presentation is geared for survivors, potential patients, and caregivers who are taking care of paying for someone's cancer care. However, professionals who wish to attend should feel free to do so.

Dollars and Sense of Cancer Care will be held Thursday November 4 from 4 pm to 8 pm at Rose Medical Center, Professional Office Building11, ground floor, Goodstein I and II located at 4500 E 9th Avenue, Denver CO 80220.

Representatives from organizations and agencies that provide financial or practical assistance to cancer patients will be present to answer questions and distribute applications for services beginning at 4 pm; they include: the Rocky Mountain Cancer Foundation, the Raymond Wentz Foundation, Cover Colorado, the Patient Advocate Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the American Cancer Society, and Rose Medical Center. The presentation portion of the evening will begin at 5 pm. Opening remarks will be made by Betsy Hunsiker and there will be an address by Dr. Robert Rifkin. The panel consists of Renee Hopkins, Cover Colorado, Dianne Primavera, State Representative, District 11, and representatives from SHIP and Medicaid. Closing remarks by a member of the Board of Directors of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Light refreshments will be available.

Dollars and Sense of Cancer Care is a free event but registration is required. You can register by calling Lynn Callaway at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at 303-984-2110, 1-800-286-8159, or you can e-mail Lynn.Callaway@lls.org.

Prison of Terror Haunted House to Benefit Relay For Life of Longmont

2010-10-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

The haunted house, will be open Oct. 21-24 and Oct. 28-31 at Twin Peaks Mall and proceeds will go to the Sheriff's Cadet Program and the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of Longmont.

If you're looking for a good scare, head out to the Prison of Terror this weekend!

Have You Wished Someone Happy Birthday Today?

2010-10-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society is making it easy to wish your friends and family Happy Birthday! Visit morebirthdays.com to see all the artists who've joined the American Cancer Society and want to see you celebrate more birthdays.

The Society was also recently featured on AMC's show, Mad Men, read about it on the more birthdays blog and check out some of the PSA's that ran in the 1960's educating people to stop smoking.

Finding Cures

2010-10-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Denver office of the American Cancer Society recently held Finding Cures Research Reception, that highlighted cancer research currently funded by the Society in Colorado.

Tim Byers, MD, MPH, the Associate Director of Cancer Prevention & Control with the University of Colorado Cancer Center & Director-At-Large for the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors, gave the keynote address to more than 65 Society supporters and researchers at the Denver Athletic Club in Denver.

Doug Graham, MD, PhD, current Society funded researcher, spoke of his ongoing work in the area of biologically targeted therapy against Mer Tyrosine Kinase in Pediatric ALL and the direction of cancer research today. Finding Cures Research Reception is held annually to educate the local community of the research advancements being made in our state. Currently, the American Cancer Society funds more than $9.6 million worth of cancer research in Colorado alone.

If you'd like more information about Finding Cures, please contact Jane Barnes at 720-524-5446 or Jane.Barnes@Cancer.org

Four Colorado Counties Place in the Top Relay For Life Per Capita Earners

2010-10-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society had four counties place in the per capita rankings for Relay For Life. Morgan County, Larimer County, Routt County and Weld County, all placed in the top three for average amount raised per person in the county.

Weld placed second, with five Relays raising $510,165 in the range of county populations of 150,000 to 249,999 which is an average of $2.06 raised per person.

Larimer placed third, with four Relays raising $374,283 in the range of county populations of 250,000 to 499,999 which is an average of $1.34 raised per person.

Ranked for the third year in a row, Routt placed second with one Relay in Steamboat Springs, raising $145,600 in the range of county populations of 20,000 to 24,999, which is an average of $5.73 raised per person.

Morgan placed third with one Relay, in Fort Morgan, raising $70,511 in the range of county populations of 25,000 to 29,999, which is an average of $2.48 raised per person.

The money raised by Relay For Life events goes toward cancer research, patient services, advocacy and education. This year alone, more than $9 million was spent in Colorado on cancer research.

Pink Glove Dance

2010-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society has some friends from Sky Ridge Medical Center in this video! Check it out! And if you're having trouble viewing the entire youtube screen, click here.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

2010-10-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

The first Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in Fort Collins will be held this weekend 10-10-10! It is at Spring Canyon Community Park (2626 W. Horsetooth) from 9am-1pm. Snacks will be provided and there will be a survivor celebration in the morning. Lunch and entertainment will be provided after the walk and participants will have the opportunity to hear a local breast cancer researcher speak as well.

Community Relationship Manager, Sarah Forsythe, says "although this is our first walk in the Larimer County area, the Women's Resource Center in Fort Collins has already received $110,000 in grants from this event as a nationwide effort and we are so excited to be able to have a local walk that supports local efforts."

To register for the Fort Collins events visit: http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/ftcollins
Registration is free, and we are encouraging everyone to try to raise $100 in the fight against breast cancer.

There are two other Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in Colorado; one in Pueblo and one in Mesa County. For more information on either of these events, please visit the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer website.

Health Reform Hits Main Street

2010-10-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

Whether you're for Health Care Reform or against it, it can be tricky to understand. Take a moment to look at this video that explains the health care reform law made by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

A Voice for Cancer Patients in Washington, D.C.

2010-10-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

Below is a note from an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer about the Lobby Day recently held in Washington D.C.

Brian Eberle
Volunteer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Denver, Colorado

This week, I along with a dozen other Colorado volunteers traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent the voice of cancer patients in Colorado. There I joined more than 600 American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) volunteers from across the nation to call on lawmakers to sustain funding for cancer research and prevention and early detection programs.

Thanks to past investments in research, we have made tremendous progress in our ability to detect cancer early and treat it so that it is no longer an automatic death sentence. But if we want to eliminate death and suffering from this disease altogether, we cannot rest on past success – we must commit to funding research that makes existing tests and treatments more effective and works to find answers for cancers for which we don’t have answers.

When we met with Representative Jared Polis and other congressional staff, we told them that cancer research is about saving lives. We made it loud and clear that Congress needs to put aside partisan politics and commit to funding research that makes existing tests and treatments more effective on behalf of the more than 11 million cancer survivors in the United States.

Relay Rumble

2010-09-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Regional Relay For Life Summits are right around the corner!

Relay Summits provide Relay For Life committee members the opportunity to participate in training workshops designed for their committee position that will inspire, motivate and capture their attention!

Make sure your committee splits up to experience all of these breakouts so you can each bring back information to your committee and share ideas learned.

The Regional Relay Summit will be jam packed with Relay resources, understanding your role on the planning committee and discovering new ideas that will boost your Relay event.

Be sure to register today, if you haven't already, and together we can help create a world with more birthdays!

American Cancer Society - Behind the Science video series

2010-09-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

American Cancer Society chief medical officer Dr. Otis Brawley and American Cancer Society deputy chief medical officer Dr. Len Lichtenfeld discuss current issues around prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening.

Please take a few minutes and watch this new video on the American Cancer Society youtube channel

Important Health Care Protections for Patients Taking Effect

2010-09-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Important progress is being made in the mission-critical efforts of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Networks (ACS CAN) to improve access to health care nationwide.

It has been six months since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, and several provisions take effect today that will meaningfully improve the health care system for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. The provisions help to ensure that people with cancer get access to the care they need, when they need it, by:

Prohibiting insurance companies from placing lifetime dollar limits on coverage, so people with cancer are not forced to pay the often high costs of their care out-of-pocket
Tightly restricting annual coverage limits, which will be phased out completely by 2014
Guaranteeing coverage in new health plans of preventive services such as mammograms, Pap tests, and colonoscopies, and ensuring that these services are free to patients
Barring insurance companies from denying coverage to children up to age 19 with pre-existing conditions such as cancer
Enabling dependent children to remain on (or re-enroll in) their parent’s insurance policy up to age 26, thereby helping to expand access to coverage to an age group that often goes without it
Banning health plans from abruptly dropping people from coverage when they become sick with an illness such as cancer

To find out more information, please visit the ACS CAN website at acscan.org.

Miracle Party Brings Awareness to Childhood Cancer

2010-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, the American Cancer Society was lucky enough to be invited to participate in the 3rd Annual Miracle Party held at the Downtown Denver Sheraton. The purpose of the Miracle Party is to give childhood cancer patients, in all stages, a chance to party and celebrate miracles. This year's party had the theme of the Golden Miracle Awards. Gold is the color of childhood cancer awareness so it was very fitting that upon arrival, all children walked the "Gold" carpet and had their pictures taken by paparazzi.

Below is a picture of two Relay For Life Council Members who came out to volunteer their time at the ACS table.

Relay For Life Council Members, Patty Hasty & Judy Poulson

It is such an inspiration to see the beautiful faces of children running around, enjoying themselves all while battling the disease of cancer.

Denver ACS Staff members, Amanda Childs & Dianna Hemphill

Dr. Doug Graham Featured on Local CBS Station

2010-09-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, during the Stand Up to Cancer TV program, Dr. Doug Graham of Colorado was featured for his cancer research!

Visit cbs4denver.com to read and watch his story!

The American Cancer Society and the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance Urge Women to Know Their Bodies

2010-09-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

This year in Colorado alone, an estimated 210 women will lose their battle with ovarian cancer. Nationwide the American Cancer Society estimates suggest more than 21,000 women will be diagnosed this year and of those more than 13,000 will die. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

Unlike cervical cancer, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, making symptom recognition and regular pelvic examinations the primary ways to detect the cancer early. However, ovarian cancer is not detected in a pap smear. Symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

· Bloating

· Pelvic or abdominal pain

· Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

· Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

“By teaming up with the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance (COCA), we can help spread awareness about this disease,” says Regional Vice President of the American Cancer Society, Karen Hill. “Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all reproductive cancers and we want women to be aware of the symptoms.”

“Just since COCA’s inaugural June, 2010 Walk/Run, we have lost women at a rapid rate. In Colorado, one woman dies every one and a half days from ovarian cancer. We need a test for earlier detection and more effective treatments. We need a cure and we need medical professionals to diagnose women at the earliest onset. All women—and men--need to know the risk factors and symptoms of ovarian cancer,” said Mary Phillips, COCA board president and five-year ovarian cancer survivor.

To further educate women, their families and loved ones in the Denver Metro area, the University of Colorado Cancer Center will hold a free public forum Wednesday, September 15, from 6-8PM at the Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion, Room 2005, where a team of gynecologic oncologists will answer general questions in a question and answer session about ovarian cancer. Please call 720-848-0316 for more information about this event.

The American Cancer Society Fights For Every Birthday!

2010-09-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

At the American Cancer Society, we save lives and create more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, by finding cures and by fighting back. Check out what we're doing to ensure more people celebrate more birthdays this year! Visit the More Birthdays blog and find out how you can help create a world with more birthdays!

How the American Cancer Society is Fighting Prostate Cancer

2010-09-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the US and the second most common cause of cancer death among men. It is estimated that about 1 in 6 men in the US will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 36 will die from this disease. Because of the toll prostate cancer has on the lives of so many people, the American Cancer Society is committed to saving lives and creating a world with less prostate cancer and more birthdays by helping people stay well, get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against prostate cancer.

We help people stay well from prostate cancer

The American Cancer Society helps men stay well by providing information about how to reduce your risk of prostate cancer through lifestyle changes. Based on available scientific evidence, the Society recommends that men eat less red meat and fat, and eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Men should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. These recommendations may help reduce a man’s risk for prostate and other cancers, as well as other diseases.
The American Cancer Society helps men stay well by providing important information and recommendations about prostate cancer screening. The Society released updated recommendations in March 2010 recommending that men have an opportunity to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer after receiving information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of screening. Men at higher risk, including African American men, should receive this information beginning at age 45. It’s important for men to be educated about the benefits and limitations of screening because there is actually a lack of scientific evidence proving that screening all men for prostate cancer would save lives. Screening can result in unnecessary treatment, which in turn can have serious side effects, including incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

We help people facing prostate cancer get well

Whether it’s the middle of the day or the middle of the night, we’re here around the clock to guide people facing prostate cancer through every step of their cancer experience. Visit us at cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345.
The Society’s Man to Man program helps men cope with prostate cancer by providing community-based education and support to patients and their family members. It gives men a safe place to talk about their experience with disease with other men who are going through similar experiences.
One of the services patients need most are rides to and from treatment. Through volunteer drivers and community partnerships, the Society’s Road to Recovery program ensures that no one facing prostate cancer ever has to miss a treatment because they simply can’t get there.
We help prostate cancer patients who are undergoing treatment away from home with lodging during treatment. We offer free lodging at 28 American Cancer Society Hope Lodge facilities throughout the nation.

We find answers to questions about prostate cancer’s causes and cures

· The American Cancer Society currently invests over $55 million dollars in 98 different prostate cancer research projects nationwide.

· A new ACS clinical research professor discovered that specific genes found in the majority of prostate cancers can be detected with a simple urine test, and may be capable of detecting prostate cancer better than the PSA.

· A former ACS grantee has identified a gene pattern that may lead to the detection of potentially aggressive prostate cancer. This research may serve as the framework for new therapeutic strategies for treating prostate cancers.

· National Cancer Institute investigators are collaborating with ACS scientists to study the role of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in prostate cancer in men participating in the ACS’s Cancer Prevention Study II LifeLink Cohort.

We fight back against prostate cancer

· Sometimes what a cancer patient needs most are ways to take action against the disease. Through fundraising programs like Relay For Life, we help patients and their families turn their experience into something positive by raising vital funds for research, patient services and other programs to help save lives from prostate and other cancers.

· Through our advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, we give patients and their families a way to fight back against cancer by advocating for federal cancer research funding to help find the causes and cures for prostate and other cancers. The federal government is the largest funder of cancer research in the US. In recent years, we have made great progress in the war on cancer, but cuts in funding for cancer research could threaten that progress. Visit acscan.org to tell Congress to increase funding for cancer research.

American Cancer Society Funded Researcher to be Featured during Stand Up To Cancer TV Special

2010-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Douglas Graham, MD, PhD is an American Cancer Society funded researcher and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Immunology at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. He is affiliated with The Children's Hospital, Denver and University of Colorado Denver. He is currently researching Biologically Targeted Therapy Against Mer Tyrosine Kinase in Pediatric ALL.

Yesterday, he was interviewed by CBS4 in Denver and his story will be featured during this year's Stand Up To Cancer special. This year's SU2C will air on all three network channels (CBS, NBC & ABC) September 10 at 8pm ET/PT, 7pm CT.

CBS4 Photojournalist, Dr. Doug Graham & CBS4 Producer

Stand Up To Cancer is a new initiative created to accelerate groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C's goal is to bring together the best and the brightest in the cancer community, encouraging collaboration instead of competition. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C creates awareness and builds broad public support for this effort.

CBS4 Denver Photojournalist capturing the video of research work

Tune into CBS4 next Friday to see Dr. Graham's story and support cancer research!

Research Assistants in Dr. Doug Graham's lab

Mountain Region Thanks ACS Funded Researchers

2010-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 1, the Mountain Region of the American Cancer Society hosted a reception for the ACS funded researchers in the area and thanked them for their work and dedication to the Society's mission. The event was hosted on the Anschutz Medical Campus on the 10th Floor of the Leprino Building.

American Cancer Society Funded Researcher Reception

We in Colorado are lucky to have 19 research grants currently in effect totally nearly $10 million. The Mountain Region currently has the largest number of research grants in effect within the Great West Division of the American Cancer Society.

Karen Hill, Mountain Region Vice President Addressing Group

The American Cancer Society is the nation's largest private, not-for-profit, non-government source of funds for scientists studying cancer. The American Cancer Society focuses the majority of its funding on investigator-initiated, peer review proposals. This process ensures that researchers propose innovative and cutting edge projects. This intellectual freedom encourages discoveries in areas that researchers are most likely to solve the problem of cancer.

Major scientific breakthroughs have changed how we think about cancer. Today 68% of people diagnosed with cancer survive the disease, compared to 50% from 1975-1977.

Nationally, your American Cancer Society has spent more than $3.4 billion on cancer research to date and we have been involved in many of the major cancer research breakthroughs of the century:

Pap smear crusade to detect cervical cancer
Mammography to screen for breast cancer
PSA test for prostate cancer screening
Confirmation of smoking as a cause of lung cancer
Identification of obesity as an increased risk factor for multiple cancer types
Use of small molecule inhibitors such as Gleevec for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia

The Mountain Region is proud to have so many talented people in Colorado, we wish then continued success and thank them for making a difference!

Local Baker Donates Cake to Relay For Life Event!

2010-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sweet Little Bites cakes recently donated the cake for survivors dinner at the Relay For Life of Highlands Ranch. We are so lucky in Colorado to have amazing community partners and talented business owners who care about our cause and want to help people celebrate more birthdays! Thanks Sweet Little Bites!

Colorado Cancer Advocates Discuss Research and the Fight Against Cancer

2010-08-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

DENVER, CO –August 4, 2010 – Over 200 local leaders in medical research, cancer care, area businesses and health policy, attended breakfast today at the Denver Athletic Club to discuss what can be done to elevate the fight against cancer through research.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) hosted the annual event which brings together those in the Centennial State who are committed to ending cancer and ensuring elected officials make cancer a top legislative priority.

Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, the new Director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center – the Rocky Mountain region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center – delivered the breakfast the keynote addresses.

“I am here to tell you, the bold action in Colorado is a profound validation of a new truth in the cancer fight: That citizens need to take action to make cancer a national priority. Only an organized movement, united in its mission and relentless in its purpose, can put defeating cancer at the top of our state’s and the nation's health agenda. That is what you have here, said Rob Youle, Colorado ACS CAN volunteer advocate and National Chairman of the ACS CAN Board of Directors. "I want to thank everyone here today for helping us strengthen this citizen-based movement."

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures, it is estimated that in 2010, 21,340 Coloradoans will be diagnosed with cancer, and that another 6,880 will die from the disease. Last year, more than 1.5 million people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer and more than 569,000 people died from the disease.

“We all have a responsibility to fight back against a disease that kills over 21,000 people in Colorado each year by enacting laws and policies that eliminate barriers for the proper diagnosis, treatment and care of cancer patients,” said Brian Eberle, Colorado State Lead Volunteer Advocate for ACS CAN. “As advocates, we have the responsibility to educate the public on the many ways to prevent and fight cancer effectively, but we cannot be totally successful unless federal, state and local policymakers take action. Our elected officials can play an important role in the war against cancer by passing legislation that increases the amount of money spent on lifesaving research, and allows those diagnosed with the disease better access to the treatment they need..”

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. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

9News Personality, Kirk Montgomery To Rasie Money For American Cancer Society

2010-07-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Friday, July 30 from 5:30 - 7:30, Kirk Montgomery will be bartending at Big Game Restaurant and Lounge on Wazee and collecting tips for the American Cancer Society. Please stop by, tell him hello and make sure he gets good tips!

Relay For Life Events in Colorado

2010-07-14T10:30:00.001-07:00

Relay For Life continues across Colorado!

If you haven't signed up for Relay yet, it's easy to find an event near you. You can join a team, start your own, or participate as an individual. There's a place for everyone at Relay For Life and anyone can participate!

We invite you to come out and join us as we Celebrate survivors, Remember those we have lost, and Fight Back against this disease by working with elected and appointed officials to ensure that cancer remains a top local, state and national priority.

Here are the upcoming Relay events in our state:

July

16 - Relay For Life East Colorado Springs

16 - Relay For Life Teller County
16 - Relay For Life Moffat County
16 - Relay For Life of North Weld County
17 - Relay For Life of Arkansas Valley
17 - Relay For Life of Thornton

23 - Relay For Life of Washington Park

23 - Relay For Life of Tri Lakes
23 - Relay For Life of Steamboat Springs
23 - Relay For Life of Estes Park
30 - Relay For Life of Boulder

30 - Relay For Life of Highlands Ranch / Lone Tree

30 - Relay For Life of Las Animas County
30 - Relay For Life of Fruita
31 - Relay For Life of Carbon Valley

31 - Relay For Life of Parker

August
6 - Relay For Life of Buena Vista
6 - Relay For Life of East Boulder

6 - Relay For Life of Littleton

6 - Relay For Life of Westminster

7 - Relay For Life of Aurora

7 - Relay For Life of Lincoln County
7 - Relay For Life of Grand County
13 - Relay For Life of Eagle
13 - Relay For Life of Roaring Fork Valley

September

11 - Relay For Life of Webster Lake

If you have participated in Relay in the past, we truly value your support of the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life. We would be honored to have you back again this year. Everyone that comes back for another year of Relay helps make our fight against cancer even stronger, helping us raise funds and awareness to save lives in our community and around the world.

Slip, Slap, Slop

2010-07-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Slip on a shirt on sunny days, Slop on sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 and Slop on a hat to protect your face from the sun. Also, wrap on sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun.

July is UV Safety Month and as much as Coloradoans love being outdoors, we also need to remember to practice sun safety!

The American Cancer Society encourages people limit time in the sun when UV rays are strongest. This is when the sun is high in the sky, usually between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. If you are unsure about the sun's intensity, use the shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are the strongest, and protection from the sun is most important.

To learn more about Sun Safety, please visit the new cancer.org

Picture courtesy: Kansas Farm Bureau

Colorado's American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to Host Research Breakfast

2010-07-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Cordially Invites You . . .To Attend the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s
2nd Annual Denver Research Breakfast Event:

Wednesday August 4, 2010
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Denver Athletic Club1325 Glenarm Place, Denver, CO
Corner of Glenarm Place and 14th Street Downtown

Featuring Special Guest Keynote Speaker
Dr. Dan Theodorescu – Director, University of Colorado Cancer Center

RSVP online at acscan.org/denverbreakfast

Please join us August 4th for the Second Annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Denver Research Breakfast, a premiere annual fund-raising event that brings together Colorado’s key leaders in medical research, cancer and health care policy, as well as individuals and companies who are interested in supporting cancer research and the work of ACS CAN. This event is a great opportunity to learn more about cancer research in Colorado, ACS CAN and how you can help ACS CAN continue to be the nation’s leading cancer advocacy organization that is working every day to make cancer issues a national priority.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, is the nation’s leading cancer advocacy organization working every day to make cancer issues a national priority. ACS CAN empowers regular people to be part of the growing national movement that is fighting back against cancer. ACS CAN’s public policy priorities are focused on the actions that elected leaders at all levels of government can take to accelerate the ability to save lives and win the fight against cancer.

Contributions or gifts to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.
are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.

Colorado Cancer Survivors Awarded College Scholarship

2010-06-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

Kati Ledall, Greeley; Corey Williamson, Bayfield; and Sandra Mayta, Aurora; have been awarded a $2,500 college scholarship by the American Cancer Society.

Scholarships were awarded based on financial need, leadership, academic achievement and community service. To be eligible, candidates must have had a cancer diagnosis before age 21 and be a Great West resident. Students must also have a GPA of at least 2.5 and been accepted to an accredited school.

The purpose of the scholarship program is to help both the patient and family overcome the financial burden of cancer. For many, the financial impact from their cancer diagnosis has put the opportunity for higher education out of reach. With the opportunity for a cancer survivor college scholarship to help cover the increasing cost of tuition and related expenses, pediatric and adolescent cancer survivors are encouraged to fulfill their dreams and realize their full potential.

For more information about this scholarship program, call the American Cancer Society toll-free at
1-800-227-2345.

It's All Because Of You...

2010-06-01T16:28:00.003-07:00

Thank you Relayers!

Because of you, the fight against cancer is stronger than ever.

Last year you were among the 3.5 million people who came together across the country through Relay and helped raise more than $409 million to save lives. We’re confident that, in spite of difficult economic times, we can top those numbers this year and continue working together to help people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer.

Check out all of the upcoming Relay For Life events in Colorado this summer including several this weekend!

If you have friends, family, and coworkers who want to join you, please consider forming a Relay team for this year. You’ll have all the tools you need to be a successful team once you sign up online, and we’ll be with you every step of the way!

When you sign up online for Relay For Life, you are helping create a world with less cancer and More Birthdays where cancer never steals a year from anyone else’s life.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Action

2010-05-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

2010 Colorado Legislative Session in Review
On May 12th, the Colorado legislature adjourned for 2010. It covered over 640 bills in the mandated 120 days. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) fought for the passage of two bills that will help reduce the 6,700 yearly cancer deaths in Colorado.

From January to May, ACS CAN members and advocates sent hundreds of emails, made phone calls and made visits to the capitol to lobby legislators to change laws.

ACS CAN Saves Lives, Changes Lives and Changes Laws.

Mammography Bill – HB 1252 – Amendment Added and Passed
Current law in Colorado only requires that insurance companies cover mammography screenings for women 50 and older every other year. As part of the Governor’s healthcare agenda this year, HB 1252 sought to extend mammography coverage to women at risk, beyond current law.

ACS CAN however needed to strengthen the bill. The scientific evidence shows that early detection saves lives and women in their forties should be covered for mammography annually. ACS CAN fought long and hard to ensure that the bill would require screening for both high risk women as well as all women over 40 years of age and older.

Despite initial opposition and long odds, the legislature finally accepted the amendment making it possible for women in their forties, or those at risk to be covered for annual mammography screenings. The bill takes effect for insurance policies and contracts entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2011.

The enactment of this bill means more women will detect breast cancer early. We will reduce the number of late diagnoses each year and will better protect women in Colorado.

Affordable Oral Chemotherapy – HB 1202 - Passed
Every year cancer patients are forced into bankruptcy because of the high cost of cancer treatment.

Oral chemotherapy is often more expensive than intravenous chemotherapy and in some instances it is the only form of treatment. The high cost however, makes it the more prohibitive option for cancer patients.

As ACS CAN members and advocates took action, the legislature passed HB 1202 which will make oral chemotherapy as affordable as intravenous chemotherapy.

With the enactment of this bill, cancer patients will face a lessened financial burden.

Tobacco Tax
Last year and this year, ACS CAN fought to protect millions of dollars for cancer programs. After experiencing significant cuts from FY 09-10, the cancer related programs funded through amendment 35 tobacco tax revenue took another hit this year with a $25.6 million dollar reduction. Cancer related programs impacted by this cut include the Colorado Colorectal Screening as well as the comprehensive state tobacco control program, including the Colorado Quitline.

The revenue taken from these programs will be put towards the state Medicaid budget which is in dire need of additional funds as a result of the 40% caseload increase since 2007. The exact dollar amount reductions taken from specific cancer related programs has yet to be determined. This decision making process will be carried out by independent review committees that will decide how to distribute the remaining dollars to programs like the Colorectal Screening program, the Quitline, and local tobacco control efforts.

The Year in Review
Cancer patients, caretakers and advocates can feel a sense of accomplishment as ACS CAN successfully fought for earlier breast cancer detection and to make oral chemotherapy more affordable.

Combined with our work in 2009, when we fought for a percentage of proceeds from the "Committed to a Cure" license plates to fight breast cancer, the last two years have been truly successful in the fight against cancer.

Join our fight and become a member today. Add your voice to the thousands of cancer patients and advocates across the nation. You will also receive emails and have the opportunity to fight for laws that reduce cancer.
ACS CAN Saves Lives, Changes Lives, and Changes Laws.

Cancer Survivors and Caregivers are Celebrated at Relay For Life

2010-05-24T09:26:00.001-07:00

Survivors are the reason we Relay.

A survivor is anyone who has ever heard the words “You have cancer.” And we invite all cancer survivors in the community to attend Relay For Life.

Our goal is to create a world where more people survive cancer – so they can celebrate another birthday. This year more than 11 million people will be able to do that thanks to the support of millions of dedicated Relay participants.

Most Relays open with the Survivors Lap where survivors lead the way around the track while being honored and applauded by all participants. The Survivors Lap is an inspirational and emotional example of how Relay participants are ensuring that more lives are saved each year.

We also recognize and celebrate caregivers at Relay For Life. These individuals give their time, love, and support to friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers who face cancer. At Relay, people understand the frustrations and joys of being a caregiver, since the effects of cancer reach far beyond just the person diagnosed.

Anyone can participate in Relay For Life. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.

Find a Relay For Life event near you and please join us.

Denver American Cancer Society Volunteer Recognized by Local ABC Affiliate

2010-05-20T09:52:00.001-07:00

Volunteer Brightens Cancer Patients' Days By Sewing

'Comfort Kerchiefs' Offer Alternative To Hats And Bandannas

DENVER -- Many cancer patients who have lost their hair face an important the question: "Should I go with the bald head, or try to cover it?"
For men, the hairless look can be cool. But for women wigs can be sometimes be uncomfortable, and bandannas do not always go with what you are wearing. This is where Claudette Cooper comes in. She makes head coverings for complete strangers who are battling cancer.

They are called Comfort Kerchiefs," said Cooper.

Comfort Kerchiefs were invented by Gaye Gilbert Kriegel of Texas. She provides the pattern to people like Claudette as long as they promise not to profit from them. Comfort Kerchiefs are appealing because they tend to fit better and are more comfortable than a bandanna or hat.
"I made some for a gal who rides motorcycles and she said: 'Oh, I like yours the best ones because I can crank them right down over my ears and they don't get cold,'" said Cooper.
Cooper started making Comfort Kerchiefs in 1998. Each one takes her an hour to put together. She has made more than 6,100 of them.

Every month, Cooper drops off more Comfort Kerchiefs at the American Cancer Society in Denver. The agency gives them to cancer patients.

"Each one has a tag on it so it shows a real person made it and it is not just something that was bought," said Cooper.

"It really does brighten up people's spirits to have something completely home made, something comfortable, something cozy, that can make them feel comfortable," said Kylee Virdi, Patient Navigator with the American Cancer Society.

Cooper said: "Many of the people who call are so choked up they can hardly talk. (They say) 'I am having such a hard time and this meant so much and I just wanted you to know.'"
Claudette Cooper is making a difference for thousands of Coloradans just by giving her time and talent in her spare time.

Upcoming Relay For Life Events in Colorado

2010-05-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

We are so excited as the Relay For Life season kicks off in Colorado!

If you haven't signed up for Relay yet, it's easy to find an event near you. You can join a team, start your own, or participate as an individual. There's a place for everyone at Relay For Life and anyone can participate!

We invite you to come out and join us as we Celebrate survivors, Remember those we have lost, and Fight Back against this disease by working with elected and appointed officials to ensure that cancer remains a top local, state and national priority.

Here are the upcoming Relay events in our state:

June

4 - Relay For Life of Pueblo
4 - Relay For Life of Fountain Valley
4 - Relay For Life of Gunnison
4 - Relay For Life of Weld County
4 - Relay For Life of Philips County

5 - Relay For Life of Prowers County
5 - Relay For Life of Fort Collins
11 - Relay For Life of Arvada

11 - Relay For Life of Broomfield

11 - Relay For Life of Centennial
11 - Relay For Life of Northeast Denver
11 - Relay For Life of La Plata

11 - Relay For Life of Rifle Area
11 - Relay For Life of Montrose
11 - Relay For Life of Morgan County
12 - Relay For Life of Logan County
12 - Relay For Life of Loveland
18 - Relay For Life of Archuleta County
18 - Relay For Life of Central Colorado Springs
18 - Relay For Life of Pikes Peak
18 - Relay For Life of Grand Junction

18 - Relay For Life of Longmont
25 - Relay For Life of Elbert County
25 - Relay For Life of Delta
25 - Relay For Life of Yuma County
26 - Relay For Life of South Weld County

July
9 - Relay For Life of San Luis Valley
9 - Relay For Life of Huerfano County
9 - Relay For Life of Brighton

9 - Relay For Life of Lakewood

10 - Relay For Life of Castle Rock

10 - Relay For Life of Montezuma County
16 - Relay For Life East Colorado Springs
16 - Relay For Life Teller County
16 - Relay For Life Moffat County
16 - Relay For Life of North Weld County
17 - Relay For Life of Arkansas Valley
17 - Relay For Life of Thornton

23 - Relay For Life of Washington Park

23 - Relay For Life of Tri Lakes
23 - Relay For Life of Steamboat Springs
23 - Relay For Life of Estes Park
30 - Relay For Life of Boulder

30 - Relay For Life of Highlands Ranch / Lone Tree

30 - Relay For Life of Las Animas County
30 - Relay For Life of Fruita
31 - Relay For Life of Carbon Valley

31 - Relay For Life of Parker

August
6 - Relay For Life of Buena Vista
6 - Relay For Life of East Boulder

6 - Relay For Life of Littleton

6 - Relay For Life of Westminster

7 - Relay For Life of Aurora

7 - Relay For Life of Lincoln County
7 - Relay For Life of Grand County
13 - Relay For Life of Eagle
13 - Relay For Life of Roaring Fork Valley

September

11 - Relay For Life of Webster Lake

DENVER METRO RESIDENTS HELP THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CREATE WORLD WITH MORE BIRTHDAYS

2010-04-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 25, about 1,200 Denver Metro residents joined together at the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® 5k at Wash Park to help create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. This noncompetitive event united the entire community to celebrate breast cancer survivors, educate participants about ways to reduce their breast cancer risk or find the disease early, and raised funds to end the disease. The event and the dollars raised from Making Strides Against Breast Cancer help support the Society’s efforts to save lives by helping people stay well, helping people get well, by finding cures and fighting back against breast cancer.

While the for-profit sector saw declining demand for products and services in the economic downturn, the opposite was true for organizations like the American Cancer Society who saw demand for their patient services increase in the past year. Funds raised by events like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer are critical in meeting the needs of breast cancer in the community.

“Cancer does not go away in tough economic times,” Karen Hill, Regional Vice President for the American Cancer Society says. “We are so thankful for how this community pulls together to ensure that we can continue to serve breast cancer patients and their families here in Denver and throughout Colorado.”

This year, Denver’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk was one of more than 165 held across the country. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer supports the American Cancer Society’s unique mission to fight cancer on all fronts and save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or finding it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking research and by fighting back by encouraging lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. Over time, the Society has invested more in breast cancer research than any other voluntary public health organization, spending more on breast cancer research and investing more than $388 million in breast cancer research grants since 1971. As a result, more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors will celebrate a birthday this year.

Sponsors of this year’s Denver Making Strides event included: King Soopers, FOX 31, KBCO – World Class Rock, 5280 – Denver’s Magazine, Entravision, Exempla Lutheran Medical, Quest Diagnostics, Exempla St. Joseph Hospital and Rose Medical Center.

It is not too late to make a donation to Denver’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. Visit MakingStridesDenver.org to help the Society continue making strides and saving lives. For more information about breast cancer, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org/breastcancer.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

American Cancer Society Regional Vice President Honored

2010-04-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Jeanette Minniti, Regional Vice President for the American Cancer Society was honored today at the quarterly Colorado Cancer Coalition meeting.

Jeanette has been with the American Cancer Society for 18-years and is officially retiring at the end of April 2010. She is an asset to our organization and will be missed dearly! We appreciate all Jeanette has done for the fight against cancer in Colorado and wish her the best her future endeavors!

Jeanette with Sara Miller

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Commends Senators Mitchell and Romer for Offering Mammography Coverage Amendment

2010-04-14T09:11:00.001-07:00

Denver, CO (April 14, 2010) – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) commends Senator Shawn Mitchell (R-Broomfield) and Senator Chris Romer (D-Denver) for sponsoring an amendment to HB 1252 yesterday that expands access to breast cancer early detection services for Colorado women. The amendment successfully passed the Senate floor on a voice vote. The amendment language explicitly requires mammography insurance coverage for individuals over 40, in addition to those who are “at risk” as the bill currently states. The senators’ leadership on this important amendment will ensure that women ages 40-49 will not be denied health insurance coverage for screening mammography. In some situations, health insurance companies do not recognize women in the 40-49 age range to be at high enough risk for breast cancer to warrant screening. This opens the door for these companies to decline coverage for these services.

ACS CAN also applauds all those members of the Colorado State Senate who spoke in support and voted for the adoption of this critical addition to the bill.

HB 1252 was brought forward to protect Colorado women by extending coverage for mammography screening beyond the A and B recommendations of the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF recommendations call for biennial screening starting at age 50. The Mitchell-Romer amendment including women over 40 will strengthen this protection for women if included in the final version of the bill.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer go from 1 in 233 between the ages of 30-39 to 1 in 69 between the ages of 40-49. Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, testified before the Senate Health Committee on March 31, 2010 with data showing that timely breast cancer screening has contributed to a strong trend of decreased breast cancer mortality in recent years. Mammography screening has reduced breast cancer mortality by at least 15 to 20 percent for women ages 40 to 49 and 50 and older, while some individual studies demonstrated mortality reductions of 30 percent or greater for women in their 40s and women ages 50 and above. Thanks to improved access to mammography, health care providers are now catching smaller tumors and saving more lives. Thanks to Senators Mitchell and Romer as well as others who supported the bill and the amendment, for recognizing these important trends.

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. For more information, visit www.acscan.org .

The Colorado Cancer Coalition is ready for your feedback!

2010-04-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Please join the Colorado Cancer Coalition by offering your input on the development of 2010-2015 Colorado Cancer Plan.

The cancer plan for Colorado is a critical document that guides our state in making decisions based on the priorities of cancer prevention, control and care for the state.

The Colorado Cancer Plan website represents the first draft of the plan. After a 3 month public comment period, updated sections will be developed by the Colorado Cancer Coalition for release in early winter 2010. (content taken from Colorado Cancer Coalition website)

The American Cancer Society is a member of the Colorado Cancer Coalition, along with several other nonprofits and cancer organizations.

Dr. Len, Deputy Chief Medical Officer pays visit to Denver ACS office

2010-03-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

As you all know, Dr. Len Lichtenfeld was in Denver today to testify before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on behalf of the Society, and its advocacy affiliate the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), on the importance of strengthening HB 1252 to explicitly extend breast cancer screening coverage requirements for individuals between the ages of 40-49. As the Society’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lichtenfeld directs the Society’s Cancer Control Science Department which is responsible for producing the organization’s widely-recognized guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cancer.

After his time at the Capitol, he made a stop by the Denver office of the American Cancer Society and met with staff. We are so honored that he spent the afternoon talking with us about important issues in the cancer world. He truly is an inspiration to us all!

American Cancer Society Deputy Chief Medical Officer to Testify on Importance of Strengthening Coverage for Breast Cancer Screening

2010-03-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society will testify today before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on behalf of the Society, and its advocacy affiliate the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), on the importance of strengthening HB 1252 to explicitly extend breast cancer screening coverage requirements for individuals between the ages of 40-49. As the Society’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lichtenfeld directs the Society’s Cancer Control Science Department which is responsible for producing the organization’s widely-recognized guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cancer.

Current law in Colorado requires that insurance companies cover breast cancer screening based on the A and B recommendations of the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). Last November USPSTF shifted the guidelines from what had previously been a recommendation for annual mammographies starting at age 40, which aligned with the Society’s recommended guidelines, to now recommending biannual screening first starting at age 50. Consequently, women in Colorado are no longer guaranteed coverage for breast cancer screening under the age of 50.

In regards to HB 10-1252, Dr. Lichtenfeld stated “The facts speak for themselves: Mammogram screening saves lives, and we must not take action that undermines our ability to apply what we know to help save women’s lives.” Dr. Lichtenfeld furthermore advised “The Society believes that the USPSTF’s recommendations alone should not determine coverage for breast cancer screening. By not explicitly covering all women 40 and over, the current law will allow screening barriers to remain for women in Colorado.”
The scientific evidence supporting the value of mammography in reducing deaths from breast cancer is strong. The Society, along with many other medical groups, believes that screening mammography offers a proven and important survival benefit to women in the 40-49 age group. The reduction in mortality that is realized by encouraging screening among 40-49 year old women, coupled with the prospect of less invasive treatment options that are available with early detection of breast cancer, continues to warrant a recommendation of annual mammography screening in women beginning at age 40.

Breast cancer screening saves lives. An important decline in death rates from breast cancer, nearly two percent per year during the 1990s, has been attributed in large part to the benefits of timely screening. For women under 50, the drop has been particularly strong, at more than 3 percent per year. A woman’s risk of dying of breast cancer has now dropped 29 percent since breast cancer mortality rates peaked in 1989. Thanks to mammography, we are now catching smaller tumors.

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. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

Sign up today for the American Cancer Society CPS-3 Study

2010-03-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

The CPS-3 Study takes cancer research into the homes of Americans and help researchers understand why cancer exists and what causes it.

This year, the Relay For Life of Longmont and the Relay For Life of East Boulder are the events in our area participating in this study this year. If you'd like to be a part of the study, please visit the Relay websites to find out if you qualify.

For more information, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org today to find out how.

Local Cancer Survivor Honored by Denver ABC Affiliate

2010-03-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Being a 7Everyday Hero is a big honor in Denver, and today I am pleased to announce that a local cancer survivor and American Cancer Society volunteer has received this honor!

Kay Carrillo was recently named a 7Everyday Hero. We at the American Cancer Society would like to thank Kay for all she does and we too think she is a hero! She and her friends, including our very own Community Relationship Manager, Lynn Wooton, donate their time and energy to making necklaces and all the proceeds from those necklaces are donated to ACS.

Please visit thedenverchannel.com for the full story and click on the right side of the screen to watch the video.

If you'd like more info about the necklaces, please visit neck-lace4life.com

A Big Game for a Bigger Battle

2010-03-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Next Friday, March 26, join the Colorado Mammoth and the National Lacrosse League and help BLACKOUT CANCER! Ticket packages start at just $20 and include a game ticket, a commemorative, limited-edition, BLACKOUT CANCER T-shirt and a donation to the American Cancer Society!

The Colorado Mammoth will take on the Washington Stealth 7 p.m. at the Pepsi Center. Bring the family to this game for a night of fun, entertainment and excitement!

To get tickets, visit pepsicenter.com/groups/mammoth/ACS. Tickets for this event must be purchased by Monday, March 22 at 10:00 p.m.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Making News!

2010-03-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

The Denver Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K is making news in our local papers! Thanks to American Cancer Society's Community Relationship Manager, Abby Hoffman, a reporter from the Lowry News was on hand at the kickoff breakfast in February, click here to see the article about the breakfast and event.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is April 25, 2010 at Washington Park in Denver - sign up, start your team or donate today!

THE DENVER BRONCOS AND THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY TEAM IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

2010-03-17T13:31:00.001-07:00

Join today and be a part of the inaugural year of the Denver Broncos Relay For Life

Denver, March 17 — The American Cancer Society, a proud Community Champion Partner of the Denver Broncos organization, is proud to announce the inaugural Denver Broncos Relay For Life 2010. The Denver Broncos will host the event April 30 – May 1 at INVESCO Field at Mile High with opening ceremonies at 6:00 p.m. April 30 and closing ceremonies May 1 at 7:00 a.m.

Relay For Life is a fun-filled, overnight event that encourages community members to celebrate survivors (of all ages and cancer diagnosis), remember loved ones and raise money for the fight against cancer. The Denver Broncos Relay For Life brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, churches ... people from all walks of life.

“Relay For Life is our national signature event that raises funds and awareness for important cancer programs, services and research for all cancer types,” says Karen Hill, Regional Vice President for the American Cancer Society. “Participants and teams join together in the fight against cancer to support vital services for cancer patients and their families. Colorado is a leader in cancer research and patient care and we are pleased to partner with the Denver Broncos for this exciting community Relay For Life and team challenge. Participants help us meet our mission while also having the opportunity to celebrate, remember and fight back against cancer at the event.”

Community members are urged to sign up a team of ten or more people and encouraged to raise funds to support critical cancer needs. Top fundraising teams and individuals will be acknowledged and awarded select prizes which include Denver Broncos memorabilia, game day activities, stadium tours and more in addition to other items of recognition.

“The Denver Broncos are proud to work with the American Cancer Society on our inaugural season of Relay For Life at INVESCO Field at Mile High,” says Cindy Kellogg, Vice President, Community Development, Denver Broncos. “Our community's health remains at the forefront of our mission, and working with a leader in the health industry like the American Cancer Society provides a unique way in which to implement our mission. We look forward to a wonderful event.”

All participants must be registered, for more information about the Denver Broncos Relay For Life visit: denverbroncos.com/realyforlife.com

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.