It’s rare to feel a sense of control over cancer when it creeps into our lives. That’s why the team at the Prevent Cancer Foundation is so focused on what we can control—the proactive steps available to prevent cancer or detect it early when we can. By empowering people to stay ahead of cancer through prevention and early detection, we can prevent a cancer diagnosis altogether or to detect it earlier, leading to Better Outcomes.
As we approach 2025 and move closer to our bold goals in research, access and education, we are more determined than ever to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% in the next decade. We’ve already made significant strides—supporting research and community outreach in the U.S. and abroad, advocating for policies to ensure equal access to innovations, and reaching millions of people with information to improve their health. Each milestone brings us closer to our goals, and our success is a testament to the ways your support empowers us to create a future where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
The next decade will be crucial in reaching this goal. From advancing research and innovations in early detection to equipping everyone with the tools to stay ahead of a diagnosis, your contributions are shaping the future of cancer prevention and early detection.
Thank you for your continued support that is helping us shift the power from cancer to people.
Sincerely,
ጆዲ ሆዮስ ዋና ስራ አስፈፃሚWilliam F. Magner III Chairman of the Board of Directors
Empowering people with information
Research shows that up to 50% of cancer cases and about 50% of cancer deaths are preventable with the knowledge we have today. That’s why we are focused on educating people about the importance of healthy behaviors and routine screenings. We’re spreading the message far and wide: Early Detection = Better Outcomes.
Routine cancer screening can detect cancer early—even if you have no signs or symptoms—and increases the likelihood your treatment will be successful. So many people and families have endured the pain of late cancer diagnoses and cancer deaths. Together, we have the power to change this through education and raising awareness about the essential screenings that can help you stay ahead of cancer. Empowering people with knowledge creates opportunities for more treatment options, more healthy days ahead and more time with the people you love.
ኪም (በስተግራ) ከባለቤቷ እና ከሴት ልጆቿ ጋር በምስጋና 2022።
I didn’t have COVID—I had lung cancer
በኪም ዊሊያምስ
My cough began shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was healthy and active and didn’t smoke. After a month, I called my doctor and was tentatively diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
Then, my cough worsened. I needed a chest CT scan. I had metastatic lung cancer.
After more scans and a biopsy, I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) and started IV chemotherapy. Three weeks later, my oncologist called with great news—through testing a sample of the cancer tissue, we discovered that I had a type of lung cancer that was treatable with targeted oral therapy. This is called biomarker testing.
I’m sharing my story to change the world’s perception of who gets lung cancer. It’s not just people who smoke—anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.
If you do smoke, or if you used to smoke, take advantage of routine annual screening for lung cancer. Talk to your health care provider regardless of whether you have any symptoms. Early Detection = Better Outcomes, so don’t stop advocating for your health.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s effort, Early Detection = Better Outcomes, provides resources to help people learn about routine cancer screenings to check their health. Nearly 70% of adults say they are behind on one or more routine cancer screening, as reported in the Foundation’s 2024 Early Detection Survey. The initiative has resources including a personal screening quiz, a cancer screening chart, a webinar, resources to find free and low-cost screenings and a public service announcement video.
Inaugural National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month
April 2024 marked the first National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month, as declared by the White House in a presidential proclamation. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is proud to have led this effort to raise awareness, inspire action and highlight the progress made in cancer prevention and early detection. Together, we can prevent more cancers before they start and drive new innovations to create a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
Earl E. Bird is proactive in every aspect of his life. When it comes to checking your health, be like Earl: Don’t wait for signs or symptoms of cancer to appear. Learn the routine cancer screenings you need and schedule your appointments. Encourage your flock to get the screenings they need. And be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer so you can advocate for your health.
With innovative technologies driving us forward, not only do we ignite change, but we create an opportunity to decrease the number of cancers found in late stages. New screening tests and other early detection developments on the horizon give us hope—and Better Outcomes—when it comes to cancer.
Empowering people through innovation means giving them access to the tools and technologies that can make a real difference in their lives. Thanks to your contributions, the Foundation has been able to invest nearly $47 million to date, funding cancer prevention research and innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening.
With your continued support, the Foundation will continue paving the way for advanced technologies to find more cancers in early, more treatable stages. Together, we’re not only using innovation to reduce the cancer burden, but to empower people to live healthier, longer lives.
Bill and Marla Magner at the 2024 Prevent Cancer Gala.
A personal drive for philanthropy
By William “Bill” Magner
My mother passed away from breast cancer at a time when early detection methods were not as advanced or accessible and my wife of 42 years is currently fighting her own battle with cancer. Thankfully, early detection—through routine check-ups, better symptom awareness and advanced technology—has put her on the road to recovery.
A passion for philanthropy tied with my personal connection to the cause led me to the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The Foundation stands at the forefront of this battle, making significant strides in cancer prevention and early detection.
For those looking to embark on their own philanthropy journeys, I thank you. Begin in a way that feels comfortable, because you are in control of your philanthropic journey. With this approach, you are sure to have a meaningful and sustainable impact on what matters most to you. The Foundation is here to help you make that difference, providing guidance and opportunities to ensure your impact is felt far and wide.
In January 2024, the Foundation awarded two-year, $100,000 grants to 10 cancer researchers focused on prevention and early detection of breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, head and neck, oral, penile and skin cancers. This includes one grant—for the second consecutive year—in memory of former Foundation board member, Congressman Victor “Vic” Fazio (Calif.), who died of melanoma in 2022.
Technical training grants awarded jointly by the Prevent Cancer Foundation and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) allow health care professionals from around the world the opportunity to learn new techniques and skills in the early detection and treatment of cancer at top research and cancer institutes. The UICC fellowships are supported by the FitzGerald family.
Dr. Al-Dahshan from Memorial Souad Kafafi University Hospital in Egypt visits King Hussein Cancer Centre, Jordan.
Empowering people with community
The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s success is rooted in a community that spans across the U.S. and around the globe, united in support of cancer prevention and early detection. By empowering those who know their communities best, the Foundation can implement lifesaving programs that benefit all populations, especially the medically underserved. Foundation grants and initiatives allow us to fund nationally (and globally!) and act locally, ensuring resources reach those who need them most. Your support also enables innovative research, opening doors for the next breakthrough in cancer prevention and early detection to ensure everyone has the tools and support for Better Outcomes.
Empowering people to stay ahead of cancer is a collective effort. With the strength of our community, we’re making strides toward a future where no one is left behind in the fight against cancer.
Programs in action
This year, members of the Prevent Cancer Foundation and the Congressional Families® Program visited two 2023-2024 community grantees, along with congressional members and spouses from the grantees’ districts, to bring attention to the organizations’ work supporting cancer prevention and early detection.
Comadre እና Comadre
A visit to the University of New Mexico’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in March celebrated Comadre እና Comadre, a program that trains trusted peer breast and cervical cancer survivors (also known as comadres) to address barriers to screening and navigate patients to appointments. It is one of 12 projects dedicated to increasing cancer prevention and early detection in rural and urban communities across the U.S.
Below: We were honored to be joined by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (N.M.), a breast cancer survivor, pictured here with program leadership and several peer educators.
Equal Hope
In August, Equal Hope presented on their work addressing breast and cervical cancer screening rates for Black women in Chicago. After six months of their grant, Equal Hope had navigated 969 women to breast cancer screening appointments with an 80% completion rate and 64 women to cervical cancer screening appointments with a 63% completion rate.
Below: Congressional members, spouses and the First Lady of Minnesota, Gwen Walz, heard from speakers who shared their community-based approach to building trust and facilitating access to timely, high-quality screenings and care.
Community organizations: 17 years of moving the mission forward together
Since 2007, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has awarded:
$3 million in cancer prevention and early detection
Projects in 37 states+ American Samoa
As part of a new, two-year grant cycle focused on patient navigation in cancer prevention and early detection, the Foundation will invest $1.3 million in nonprofits that are utilizing best practices and partnerships in patient navigation to promote health equity within their communities, particularly for individuals disproportionately impacted by cancer. The 2024-2026 cohort of grantees will be announced in January 2025.
Highlights from our most recent group of grantees who completed their grant cycle in 2024:
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is proud to support innovative projects in low- and middle-income countries with one-year, $95,000 grants that fund cancer prevention, screening and vaccination efforts. From training the country’s first breast radiologists in Zambia and testing AI-supported breast cancer diagnosis in Nigeria to implementing novel approaches for addressing cervical cancer in Cameroon and Mexico, these projects help create a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is testing AI-supported
breast cancer diagnosis in Nigeria.
Event highlights
የካንሰር ውይይትን መከላከል
The 2024 Prevent Cancer Dialogue was held virtually as a series of three webinars: The latest in obesity-associated cancers, including interventions to reduce risk; The use of patient navigation to reduce barriers to cancer screening; Updates in prostate cancer screening trends, guidelines and emerging innovations to help people and health care providers “screen smarter."
The 2024 Advocacy Workshop, በታካሚ አሰሳ እና በካንሰር ምርመራ ላይ ክፍተቶችን ማቃለል, brought groups together to increase awareness on patient navigation and cancer screening. Expert speakers discussed screening and prevention as it applies to patient navigation programs and policy (including the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule codes) and their impact on reducing cancer disparities.
Quantitative analysis of thoracic CT scans has the ability to reliably detect and potentially characterize progression of three of the four leading causes of premature death: lung cancer, coronary artery disease and parenchymal lung diseases.
If you’re reading this report, you’re a part of the Prevent Cancer Foundation team. This community is made up of individuals from all walks of life, but we come together under the shared knowledge that Early Detection = Better Outcomes, and prevention—not just treatment—can save lives.
At the Prevent Cancer Foundation, we understand that true change comes from working together. When we collaborate, we empower one another to increase cancer screening rates, inspire healthy lifestyle changes and discover new ways to spread the message far and wide, engaging with more people than ever before. Thank you for being part of this collective effort to create a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
ግሩም ጨዋታዎች በፍጥነት ተከናውነዋል
In January, hundreds of thousands of people tuned in online and in-person in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to watch some of the best gamers speedrun—play as fast as possible—video games during ግሩም ጨዋታዎች በፍጥነት ተከናውነዋል (AGDQ) 2024. AGDQ featured human and canine gamers, including fan-favorite, Peanut Butter.
Viewers contributed nearly 40,000 donations during the weeklong virtual event, raising over $2.5 million! Donations support research, free cancer screenings, community programs and more—across the U.S. and around the globe.
Congressional Families® Program
A bipartisan, bicameral audience of congressional members and spouses and other cancer champions gathered for two major Congressional Families® Program events on Capitol Hill.
The Spring Reception celebrated the inaugural National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) presented the second annual Carolyn “Bo” Aldigé Visionary Award to Francis Collins, M.D. for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the Human Genome Project.
The 31st Annual Action for Cancer Awareness Awards luncheon honored CNN’s Sara Sidner with the በጋዜጠኝነት ሽልማት የተከበረ አገልግሎት, congressional spouse Charles Capito (married to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, W.Va.) with the የኮንግረሱ ቤተሰቦች አመራር ሽልማት, and the University of Arizona Cancer Center Skin Cancer Institute with the በካንሰር ግንዛቤ ሽልማት ውስጥ የላቀ.
የካንሰር አመታዊ ጋላ መከላከል
Paying tribute to the United Kingdom and its commitment to ending cancer, this year’s theme, An Indispensable Friendship, honored The British Ambassador, Her Excellency Dame Karen Pierce DCMG and Sir Charles Roxburgh KCB. Over $2.1 million was raised for cancer prevention and early detection.
The Foundation recognized two Cancer Champions for their significant contributions in cancer prevention and other cancer-related issues. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Representative Anna Eshoo of Connecticut were honored during the program. Our sincerest thanks to Gala Co-Chairs Jennifer Griffin, Ted Okon, Susanna Quinn and Jason Van Pelt for their tireless work to make this event happen (pictured above with Rep. Eshoo).
Foundation board member, cancer survivor and FOX News Channel’s Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, dazzled as master of ceremonies. Renowned musical artist from the Czech Republic Michal David also premiered a beautiful musical tribute to his daughter who died of cancer. Founder Carolyn “Bo” Aldigé (above with her family) received special recognition for her leadership presiding over 30 years
of Foundation Gala events.
The annual Lighting the Way to Prevention drive raised more than $160,000 and was led by auctioneers (above) Representative Aaron Bean (Fla.) and Tim Kavanagh, a colorectal cancer survivor and longtime friend of the Foundation.
Pictured left to right: Rep. Anna Eshoo; Roger Sant; Rep. Doris Matsui; H.E. Nicole Bintner-Bakshian, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the U.S. and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
Pictured left to right, top: Jennifer Niyangoda, Kendall Byrum Hussey, Jody Hoyos, Peter Segall, Deborah Bumbaugh, Bottom: Heide Bajnrauh, Karen Thiel and Melissa Habedank
More about the Foundation
Inspired by what you read? Your support helps create a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
2024 financials will be finalized and posted in summer 2025.
