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History of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship

In 2008, Canyon Ranch Institute and LIVESTRONG reached out to four of the most recent U.S. Surgeons General to develop an evidence-based National Call to Action. Using their combined expertise and access to the best available science, innovations, and best practices in disease prevention and health promotion, the 14th through 17th U.S. Surgeons General collaborated with the cancer prevention and survivorship community to develop the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. The four U.S. Surgeons General who led the development of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorhsip were Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006); David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th U.S. Surgeon General (1998-2002); Joycelyn Elders, M.D., M.S., 15th U.S. Surgeon General (1993-1994); and Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.Ph., 14th U.S. Surgeon General (1990-1993).

The National Call to Action outlines a battle plan in the war on cancer and serves as a roadmap for all Americans — including cancer survivors, health care professionals, policymakers, employers, educators, insurers, and scientists — to identify and act upon the best strategies for cancer prevention and survivorship.

At a series of workshops led by Canyon Ranch Institute, experts in public health, science, government, business, health care, and other relevant fields focused on evidence-based health practices that can improve outcomes for those newly diagnosed with cancer and the nearly 12 million cancer survivors in the United States today. ¹

Based on the input from these workshops and on their combined expertise, the participants identified the best strategies to make cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

These strategies are outlined in the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship, which was announced by Lance Armstrong, and Surgeons General Carmona, Satcher, Elders, and Novello on July 23, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

  

¹Data sources: NCI SEER November 2006 Submission.