Our History

A Brief Look at CancerCare’s History

CancerCare was founded in 1944 in New York City with the mission of helping advanced cancer patients. The lamp was chosen as the symbol for the organization because its light represented warmth, comfort and hope.

From the very beginning, CancerCare provided financial assistance for home care, as well as counseling by professional oncology social workers. By 1980, CancerCare was helping more than 25,000 people with its free counseling services, which to this day are the heart of the organization’s work.

During the 1980s and 1990s, technological advances helped the organization grow to its current national scope. The toll-free counseling line, Connect Education Workshops, and website all made CancerCare’s services available to people across the country.

Today, CancerCare has over 100 staff members who help more than 100,000 people each year face the crisis of cancer. Our websites have grown to become leading online resources for cancer information, with more than 1 million unique visitors last year. The size and focus of the organization have grown tremendously since 1944, but the essential work is the same: caring for the individual, supporting their loved ones, and providing help and hope to anyone affected by cancer.

CancerCare Timeline

1944
The signing of papers of incorporation for the National Foundation for the Care of Advanced Cancer Patients.
 The signing of papers of incorporation for the National Foundation for the Care of Advanced Cancer Patients (later called CancerCare).
1946 The first CancerCare Chapter was founded in Flatbush, Brooklyn. For many years chapters served as the link between the community and the organization.
1954 CancerCare's bequest program begins with a large donation from the estate of CancerCare supporter Cecile Sawyer.
1964
New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner proclaims CancerCare Week during a ceremony at City Hall.
 New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner proclaims CancerCare Week during a ceremony at City Hall.
1969
CancerCare produces "A Special Kind of Care," a nationally recognized film. The film showed how the organization provided care to advanced cancer patients and their families. Doctors, students of social work, and health care professionals around the nation viewed this movie.
 CancerCare produces "A Special Kind of Care," a nationally recognized film. The film showed how the organization provided care to advanced cancer patients and their families. Doctors, students of social work, and health care professionals around the nation viewed this movie.
1983
CancerCare honors Rawleigh Warner, CEO of Mobil, at its first Human Services Award Dinner. The Human Services Award Dinner continues to this day, raising more than $500,000 for the organization every year.
 CancerCare honors Rawleigh Warner, CEO of Mobil, at its first Human Services Award Dinner. The Human Services Award Dinner continues to this day, raising more than $500,000 for the organization every year.
1985
Executive Director Diane Blum, MSW acts as co-founder of National Breast Cancer Awareness Week.
 CancerCare Executive Director Diane Blum, MSW acts as co-founder of National Breast Cancer Awareness Week. This week recognized a major cause of death among women in the United States and educated the public about the importance of early detection. Today, the month of October continues to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a major cancer awareness effort.
1990 CancerCare offers its first Telephone Education Workshop on the topic: "Doctor, Can We Talk?" Today, CancerCare organizes more than 50 Connect Education Workshops each year reaching more than 42,000 people with current, expert information on a variety of cancer-related topics.
1994 CancerCare becomes a national organization with the establishment of its toll-free counseling line which extended its counseling, support groups, educational workshops, resources and professional education to people throughout the country.
1996 CancerCare goes online with email and its website, www.cancercare.org.
2000 CancerCare receives its first grant from the Avon Foundation, marking the beginning of the Avon Grants program. The $2.1 million grant helped women with breast, ovarian and cervical cancers with financial assistance and support programs.
2004
Mayor Bloomberg Proclaims November 1-7 as CancerCare Week.Click on the image above to open the full sized document in PDF format.
 CancerCare turns 60, and is again celebrated with a CancerCare Week proclamation by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
2005 CancerCare is selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Foundation to distribute its funds for cancer patients in the Gulf Coast area affected by the devastating Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. CancerCare distributed more than $500,000 directly to cancer patients within four months of receiving the grant.
2007
 The Institute of Medicine issues a comprehensive report calling for a new standard of care for all cancer patients that includes psychosocial services as part of the regular course of their treatment. CancerCare is one of the organizations named in the report as providing these vital services to people with cancer and their loved ones. CancerCare Executive Director Diane Blum served on the prestigious 15-member panel that produced the report.