Diversity and Inclusion at the American Cancer Society

Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and it knows no boundaries. It is diagnosed in more than 1.4 million Americans every year – people of every conceivable background, culture, and life experience. And around the world, more than 12 million people each year face a cancer diagnosis.

At the American Cancer Society, we believe diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. When you’re in the business of saving lives, it is essential not only to understand and respect differences – among people, processes, and systems – but also to leverage the similarities that connect us in the fight against cancer.

Diversity and inclusion are integral threads woven throughout our lifesaving work. We save lives by using a variety of strategies to reach individuals and communities to stay well by helping them take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or detect it early. Each person’s needs or obstacles to getting well are different, and we strive to address these by providing around-the-clock information, help with decision-making, and free services like transportation to and from cancer treatment or a free place to stay while receiving treatment far from home. We fund groundbreaking research that explores the disease from all angles and perspectives to uncover cancer’s causes and cures. We also give everyone a voice to fight back by rallying communities through events and working with lawmakers to help pass laws that defeat cancer and improve access to affordable, quality health care.

At the heart of our commitment to diversity and inclusion is the belief that we can better position ourselves to save lives every day by striving to:

• Attract, develop, and retain diverse staff and volunteers
• Extend our reach in the fight against cancer through our diverse collaborations
• Deepen our relationships with communities to better understand and address their needs through our programs and services
• Strengthen the minority- and women-owned business community through our supplier diversity program
• Research underserved populations and multicultural health behaviors to help reduce cancer inequalities and develop community-based programs that promote cancer-related behavioral change

Please visit the links above to learn more about the essential role diversity and inclusion play in the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives every day.