Cancer Networks

Early Cancer Networks

While in the 1900s the word cancer invoked fear among general populations and was rarely mentioned in public conversation, public education campaigns during the decades 1910–30s began to educate the public and increase awareness about the disease. One such network was formed in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan: the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer. Influenced by the death of his father, Douglas's goal was to provide persons in Britain with information about the disease [Page 109]as well as to provide medical care and home assistance for those diagnosed with cancer. This cancer network provided instrumental support to low- and moderate-income cancer patients in the form of general nursing care from volunteers that allowed patients to live in their homes. The goal of early cancer networks like the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer was to educate the general public and support those diagnosed with cancer.

During the 1930s, networks of female volunteers in the United States donated their time to inform and educate the public about different types of cancer and outlined the warning signs of cancer. This cancer network, created by the American Cancer Society, was called the Women's Field Army. Recruited to teach awareness about cancer, women volunteers not only raised funds to research treatments for cancer and increased the general public's awareness but also expanded their network by encouraging others to join. When the Field Army disbanded in the late 1940s, other volunteer networks grew from solely providing public education about cancer to offering counseling services and support to those afflicted with the disease.

Although most social networks provide opportunities for social interaction and engagement with those who have similar interests, today's cancer networks, most notably those associated with hospitals or organizations, typically provide additional support, including nutritional awareness, pharmacy consultations, pastoral care, access to research materials and cancer-related studies, life-issues counseling, massage therapy, wig and appearance consultations, and other services related to living with cancer. Many cancer networks also hold community fundraisers in order to donate to medical research or to help families pay for the costs of a child's cancer. For example, each year more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, a 24-hour walk or run. This event not only raises funds for cancer research but also provides participants with a chance to share personal stories with others, remember their loved ones, and raise awareness about the disease.

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