American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

Description:
In support of the American Cancer Society’s goals, the Society provides free services throughout the region. These programs and services include: Reach to Recovery (program for women diagnosed with breast cancer); Look Good Feel Better (a program supporting patients fighting the effects of cancer therapy by providing resources and professional instruction related to personal appearance); Road to Recovery (transportation program for patients); Cancer Resource Centers at St. Luke’s, Elmore County Medical Center, St. Alphonsus, and Portneuf Medical Center; Resources, Information and Guidance (services providing current cancer related information in a variety of formats to all community members); Camp Rainbow Gold (a cancer camp for children); a toll free cancer information telephone network, available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week; and a host of related services for community residents.

History:
The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 as the American Society for the Control of Cancer (ASCC) by 15 prominent physicians and business leaders in New York City.
In those early days, cancer claimed 75,000 lives a year in the United States alone. The Society's founders knew they had to raise public awareness if progress was to be made. Despite the enormity of their task, the founders and their colleagues set about writing articles for popular magazines and professional journals, publishing Campaign Notes (a monthly bulletin of cancer information), and recruiting physicians throughout the country to help educate the public.
In 1945, the ASCC was reorganized as the American Cancer Society. It was the beginning of a new era for the organization and, in many ways, for the country as a whole. In 1947, the American Cancer Society also began its public education campaign about the signs and symptoms of cancer. Since 1928, the American Cancer Society has used the sword as its symbol as it continues to champion the causes of cancer prevention, eliminating suffering from cancer, and saving lives.

Contact people:

Julie Washington, Office Manager, (208) 422-0172, (email) Kathy Sewell, Executive Director, (208) 422-0178, (email) Jenny Rapley, Program Coordinator, (208) 422-0173, (email)

Office fax number: (208) 343-9922

Address:

2676 S. Vista Ave. Boise, ID 83705 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.cancer.org

Directions:

We are located on the east side of Vista Ave., 1 mile north of the airport.