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What is the mission of the American Cancer Society (ACS)? How much true progress in cancer research can be attributed to funding provided by the ACS? Should donors be concerned about their millions of dollars that pay the huge salaries of ACS executives? Should the ACS continue to be granted tax exempt status?
The published Mission Statement of the ACS is: "to eliminate cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service." How well is the ACS doing in achieving the goals of their Mission Statement? They certainly provide a great deal of educational literature, which educates the public about cancer prevention and warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored and all of this is definitely in sync with their mission to educate, advocate, and provide associated services. The portion of their mission that comes under justifiable scrutiny has to do with their lack of success in eliminating and/or preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on research and development of medications and treatments during the decade ending in 2010 and how many successes have been realized? Should we question the ACS incentive to find a cure for the very disease that justifies their existence? The ACS, which was incorporated in 1913, is comprised of 13 Divisions within the continental United States plus one action network. This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes. One of the primary functions of the Society involves the awarding of grants to academic institutions and professionals in the fields of medicine and science for investigations into the causes, prevention, and cure of cancer. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008, the Society's program expenses were: Research $153,503,000 Patient support 84,064,000 Prevention 69,588,000 Detection/treatment 46,791,000 Total Program Expenses: $353,946,000
As of August 31, 2008 the total assets of the ACS were valued at $1,618,555,503. Total compensation of the ACS CEO for the year ending August 31, 2008 was $1,045,887. His deputy CEO, Donald Thomas’s total compensation jumped from $596,000 in 2007 to more than $1.2 million in 2008. Vice presidents under them earned anywhere between $304,292 to $617,000 in 2007. The number of ACS paid staff as of 2008 was advertised as 1,400. You can go to http://opp/ACS.aspxonentsofohiobans.com/ACS.aspx which shows that in 2007 fiscal year their combined statements report $475,779,000 in salaries, benefits and payroll taxes. The same year, the ACS collected $1,039,325,000 from public support. The Web sites shows that in 2007, 45.7% of what they took in paid their salaries. The ACS has spent $29,640,000 more on prevention than research In the past, the ACS has been involved in a few economic scandals: In the 1980s, an employee discovered that a fund-raiser was leading a $4 million tax fraud scheme. In 2000, Dan Wiant, an administrative officer, was accused of embezzling $7 million. On Nov. 28, 2009, the New Haven (Conn.) Register published a story that its local Relay had raised over $1.5 million over nine years and most of its 25 committee leaders had sent resignations to cancer society officials. You can find the article at: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/11/28/news/al_relay_no_more_1128.txt I’m not presenting an indictment against the ACS. I was motivated to write about this subject by a lady who was in my doctor’s waiting room and chose to share with me that she had terminal cancer. Her voice trembled as she shared her fear that a cure for cancer might already be available and is intentionally being kept from the public. I had never given that any thought but the more I thought about it I had to agree that her fear and concern could be well founded. Citizens aren’t always apprised by our government of factual information that probably should be made public but in the judgment of those who govern us they might choose to keep it secret. Just think about the consequences of the average life expectancy being increased 20 or 30 years per person and what that would do to the cost of programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Our elected leaders would have to determine how to fund the tremendous increase in the cost of these programs. Of course, the cost would ultimately be shouldered by taxpayers. Utilized and other sources of info:
Comments
They definitely have a selfish reason not to come out with "we discovered the cure to cancer". Their big salaries would be gone.
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