American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network - ACS CAN

08/24/2026

When Jill was diagnosed with cancer, doctors gave her 6-12 months to live. They told her the best they could do was keep her alive until a new treatment came along.

Luckily, something did come along: a clinical trial.

Jill lived near the cancer center hosting the trial, her spouse was able to keep working while caring for her, and she had the financial resources she needed. “Having these resources and the opportunity to participate in that clinical trial means I am here today.”

Jill got the treatment she needed, and she’s still here nine years later. But not every cancer patient lives close to a clinical trial or has the money to cover the travel, lodging, childcare, and other costs needed to participate. For some patients, the hope a clinical trial can offer is simply out of reach.

That’s why we need Congress to pass the Clinical Trial Modernization Act, which would help lower the costs that often accompany participating in a clinical trial.

“When a patient, like me, is facing a terminal illness and there are no available treatments, offer hope for a future.”

08/21/2026

“It’s really important for us to never stop advocating for what is right. We have to keep speaking [up] on behalf of people impacted by cancer.”

For our August Volunteer Spotlight, we're excited to highlight Becky Franks, Ambassador Constituent Lead with American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Montana - ACS CAN. Becky has worked alongside ACS CAN for almost 20 years through the cancer support community.

Becky has been a tremendous leader in bringing new volunteers to ACS CAN to add their voices to the fight against cancer. Learn more about Becky and why she advocates for cancer patients and their families.

08/19/2026

At just 28 years old, Caroline was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. “I was a young professional with my entire future ahead of me. Cancer changed everything,” she says.

Thanks to a surgical technique made possible by cancer research, Caroline survived. Today she’s raising two daughters, looking towards the future with hope, and speaking out so more families can have that same chance.

Join Caroline in fighting for more and more hope for patients—sign the petition today ⬇️

Sign the petition today!

08/18/2026

"The war against Big To***co is not over—and in many ways, it is becoming more complicated and more difficult to win," writes American Cancer Society and ACS CAN CEO Shane Jacobson in U.S. News and World Report.

We're witnessing a troubling phenomenon: the reglamorization of ci******es and to***co products. This is not an accident.

To***co incidents in movies increased by 70% between 2022 and 2023. Magazines have also welcomed to***co back into their pages. And as Big To***co has expanded into a new generation of products, social media is filled with influencers promoting ni****ne pouches and other products to millions of followers.

Research consistently shows that exposure to to***co makes young people more likely to initiate smoking. If we are serious about protecting the next generation from addiction and disease, all of us must recommit to the proven to***co control strategies that have saved lives for decades.

Congress can’t afford to ignore these warning signs.

To protect the next generation, we must recommit to proven strategies to curb smoking and to***co use that have saved lives for decades.

08/16/2026

Don't miss our virtual screening of Transforming Our Legacy: A St. Louis Story. We’re eager to share this important documentary from our partners at Transforms 314.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with storytellers from the film.

📌Tomorrow, Aug. 17 at 7:30 pm ET | 4:30 pm PT
➡️Register: FightCancer.org/TOLfilm

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and ACS CAN's Black Volunteer Caucus (BVC) are hosting a nationwide, virtual screening of the short film, Transforming Our Legacy – A St. Louis Story and virtual panel featuring the storyteller...

08/11/2026

Join us for a virtual screening of Transforming Our Legacy: A St. Louis Story. This documentary from our partners at Transform 314 highlights personal stories of three generations of Black St. Louisans and explores the ways that generations of policies—including segregation and disinvestment—have shaped the city's predominantly Black neighborhoods and the health and cancer outcomes of those communities.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with storytellers from the film.

📌 Aug. 17 at 7:30 pm ET | 4:30 pm PT

➡️ RSVP:

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and ACS CAN's Black Volunteer Caucus (BVC) are hosting a nationwide, virtual screening of the short film, Transforming Our Legacy – A St. Louis Story and virtual panel featuring the storyteller...

08/05/2026

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just authorized four new flavored ni****ne pouches, directly compromising the fight against cancer and threatening to sustain youth ni****ne use.

The flavors in this authorization? Rich Berry, Cappuccino, and Autumn Spice.

One-third of all cancer deaths in the U.S. are a result of to***co use. Decades of evidence show that Big To***co has used flavored products, among other deceptive marketing tactics, to addict youth to its deadly products.

We urge the FDA to swiftly reconsider this authorization and to put the health of the public and young people first—before the profit margins of Big To***co.

08/04/2026

Don’t miss this informative and inspirational conversation about how volunteers can help make cancer a priority on the campaign trail!

Join us on Monday, August 10 for a virtual, hands-on training about how you can get candidates in your area on the record about cancer issues.

You’ll hear from volunteers like you with their real-world examples of how they have successfully bird-dogged their candidates. RSVP:

ACS CAN is the leading cancer advocacy organization that is working every day to make cancer issues a national priority.

07/31/2026

📢 Nearly 5,000 cancer advocates have already spoken up to help more cancer patients participate in , no matter where they live or how much money they make.

📞 There’s still time for you to take action, too! Will you call your U.S. senators and urge them to help make cancer clinical trials more accessible?

It takes just a few minutes, and it’s one of the most effective ways to show your support. Our tool provides you with a script and everything you need. ⬇️

Urge your senators to help make cancer clinical trials more accessible!

07/30/2026

On the 61st anniversary of , our latest Survivor Views survey finds that nearly all cancer patients and survivors surveyed would not have been able to meet new Medicaid work requirements, and many report concerns about losing coverage.

For the past six decades, Medicaid has provided affordable, accessible health coverage—including cancer screenings—to millions with lower or limited incomes.

Now is not the time to erect barriers to care.

“These survey responses are heartbreaking and consistent with the concerns we’ve been raising regarding the new federal Medicaid work requirements,” says ACS CAN President Lisa Lacasse. “Making someone’s health coverage dependent on their ability to work while they’re dealing with a life-threatening diagnosis is cruel and will mean more suffering and death from cancer.”

We're calling on lawmakers to do everything they can to ensure people impacted by cancer do not fall through the cracks and erroneously lose the health coverage for which they are eligible.

According to a new American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey, 90% of cancer patients and survivors say their cancer or their care and treatment required them to miss hours of work, school or volunteering, with nearly one-third of respondents (32%) continuing to experience disrup...