Description/Experience: American Cancer Educational Services (ACES) is a grassroots organization dedicated to the education and support of those diagnosed with Cancer, their families and individuals needing clear and concise information on the disease. ACES is the Internet’s first and only Cancer information clearinghouse.
Mission: To educate, support and empower those whose lives have been affected by Cancer by organizing and streamlining the information gathering process. And, along these lines, to elevate the level of understanding of Cancer. ACES provides free, clear, independent information and direction to enable patients and their families to make smarter choices for Cancer treatment with an emphasis on dignity, functionality and cure.
The ACES Motto: “Knowledge is the Best Medicine.”
History: ACES was founded in 2005 by six friends. These are individuals with family and friends touched by Cancer as well as Cancer survivors. Through personal experience, they know that good, simple information is available but sometimes very hard to find and understand.
They are business, professional, medical and clergy with Internet experience and a desire to help others. The information provided by ACES is not intended to take the place of medical advice, but to supplement it.
The goals, programs and Internet links provided by the organization are designed to assist individuals with a better understanding of information they may already have or should have received.
How It Works: Access to information is just one click away. Interested parties can to go www.focusoncancer.org or www.americancancerfund.org online and be directed to Cancer sites that apply to their individual situations.
All website links and written information produced by ACES is medically-reviewed, up-to-date and accurate.
ACES also supports numerous community awareness activities and special events nationwide, all designed to spread the word about easier access to Cancer information and its many complexities.
Scope: Almost 400,000 people visited the ACES websites in 2008; it is anticipated that a potential 4,000,000+ individuals seeking simple Cancer information will visit the sites in 2009. Relationships with Google, Yahoo, Youtube, social marketing sites, etc. along with word-of-mouth and an increased number of fund-raising activities have helped ACES steadily increase awareness since its founding in 2005. In addition to website visits, in 2008 alone, ACES has received nearly 300 phone calls and hundreds of e-mails requesting information.
