Each area service center is required to have at least one committee of volunteers dedicated to this cause, though some areas may have multiple committees depending on their population’s needs. The committees might also go by different names depending on their location, but all of the groups have one thing in common – each is a group of volunteers dedicated to the Division’s goals of mission delivery and promoting ACS’s message to as many people as possible.

The committees use different strategies to reach deliver this message, such as by speaking at community events or working together with other community programs and services. Members of the committees are often part of another ACS program, such as Relay For Life or Road to Recovery, and bring their own personal strengths and experiences to their survivorship cultivation committee. For example, a Road to Recovery driver might keep cards that can be given to patients, directing them to the ACS toll-free number at 1-800-227-2345 for information and resources.

One of the most important goals of each committee is to encourage people to use the many resources that are available to patients at no cost, such as the Personal Health Manager kit. The kit provides customized information free of charge, tailored to a patient’s specific situation, to any patient who calls to ask for one.

Some survivorship cultivation committees have also worked to establish cancer resource centers in health care centers. These centers are staffed by trained volunteers and are in a location easily accessible to patients, such as just off a hospital lobby. Volunteers can help patients find resources by calling the ACS toll-free number, accessing www.cancer.org on phones or computers that are located in the center, or faxing requests directly to a Patient Resource Center for materials such as the Personal Health Manager kit.

Each committee also strives to reach out to underserved populations by targeting at least one partnership with a health organization that serves these patients. In these areas, the committee member often serves as a face for ACS in the community to promote these resources, whether in the health care environment or at churches, grocery stores, and any other place people might be.

Most importantly, the committees help newly diagnosed patients understand their diagnosis and know that they are not alone. "If people are afraid, they don’t deal with the diagnosis," said Deb Dillingham, director of Quality of Life for the Great Lakes Division. "We can hold their hands and get them through the tough times."

If you’re interested in promoting the ACS message or working with newly diagnosed patients, call 1-800-ACS-2345 to learn more about how you can get involved with a local survivorship cultivation committee.