ACS responding to COVID-19 with compassion and courage

On March 17, more than 2 million American Cancer Society volunteers and supporters received the following message from CEO Gary Reedy.

Amid the uncertainty that surrounds the nation right now, one thing that remains constant is that the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) are focused on the health and safety of our patients, volunteers, and staff.

This is undoubtedly a challenging time, but the fact is, cancer does not stop and neither do we. I am proud to share that the American Cancer Society remains available to provide information, support, and guidance to patients and families 24 hours a day, seven days a week via our free helpline, 1-800-227-2345, and our website,cancer.org. The American Cancer Society also has a number of resources available about coronavirus and cancer, including thisFAQ and this podcast featuring our team of experts. In addition,ACS CAN continues to advocate for access to critical health care at the federal, state, and local levels – an urgent need in the face of this pandemic.

We continue to monitor the coronavirus situation and implement measures to prioritize the health and safety of our patients, volunteers, and staff. For that reason, we have taken several steps to minimize the impact of the virus for those we serve. These proactive steps include:

• Restricting or implementing temporary adjustments to some of our patient service programs to reduce the risk of infection to our patients, volunteers, and staff. Those in need of support should contact our help line for specific guidance and assistance.
• Suspending all in-person events for the next eight weeks. Once the situation improves, we will work with our volunteers and communities to reschedule them.
• Temporarily closing all American Cancer Society and ACS CAN offices and Discovery Shops to the public and transitioning our staff to a virtual workforce.

For updates on the American Cancer Society and our ongoing response to the coronavirus, visit cancer.org, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We hope you, your families, and your loved ones remain safe and in good health during this challenging time. Now more than ever, we are so grateful for the passion and dedication of our millions of volunteers and supporters. Thank you for your continued support of our mission and for all you are doing to help lead the fight for a world without cancer.

Gary M. Reedy
Chief Executive Officer
American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

*Re-posted from MySocietySource.