A call has been issued for the organization of the Lyon County chapter of the Kansas division of the American Cancer society. The public is invited to the meeting. All persons who contributed one dollar or more to the cancer drive last spring are eligible to vote.
Cancer is the giant killer that stalks the earth today. He may meet his match in the surgeon’s knife, x-ray or radium therapy, if these treatments are used in time.
Eleven or 12 years ago, doctors who had been working in the American Cancer society asked the General Federation of Women’s clubs to organize a field army to disseminate existing knowledge about treatment of cancer. These doctors knew that if they could see the patients in time, many lives could be saved. The women accepted the challenge. The watchword of the field army became “Saving Lives.” The theme of the army is “Fight Cancer with Knowledge.”
Progress has been made in these 11 years. Many years ago cancer was a muted word, as consump-tion or tuberculosis had been a generation earlier. The field army has seen to it that a piece of literature about cancer has been placed in nearly every home. Cancer is no longer whispered as if in disgrace. Doctors report that more patients are presenting themselves for early diagnosis.
In the past two years a quarter million dollars has been raised by the field army in Kansas. That much money called for incorporation. The Kansas division of the American Cancer Society, Inc., was formed. Now the Lyon County chapter of that society is to be duly formed. Delegates will be elected to a district meeting where a district director will be elected. The district directors in turn select additional directors at large. All these folk with certain designated persons, the president of the Kansas Medical society, the state commander of the field army, the chairman of the State Board of Social Welfare, the superinten-dent of public instruction, the Secretary of the State Board of Health, the chairman of the cancer committee of the state medical society, compose the Board of Directors of the Kansas division.
Although the name and details of organization may be changed, the purposes of the group will not be altered. The aim is still to fight cancer with know-ledge; to provide funds for research and to urge frequent physical examina-tions. Until cancer is conquered, this fight must go on. More power to Mrs. Lucille Davis and Claudia Williams who, with their corps of helpers, are directing this work in Lyon County.
