You can create a world with less cancer

It's not every day you get a chance to directly impact the future health of millions of people. While many of us donate to cancer-focused organizations, most of us aren't going to personally help find a cure. But guess what? The American Cancer Society is giving some of us that chance. For those who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can sign up to participate in ACS' Cancer Prevention Study - 3 (CPS-3). CPS-3 is a long-term study that seeks to better understand the factors (lifestyle, environmental, genetic) that cause or prevent cancer and ultimately help eliminate cancer as a major health concern for future generations. Past long-term ACS studies have played a major role in cancer prevention, as well as in other national and international efforts. Past studies have demonstrated: 1) link between smoking and lung cancer; 2) significant impact of being overweight or obese on cancer risk; 3) impact of hormones, physical activity, diet on cancer risk; 4) link between aspirin use and reduced risk of colon cancer.

Involvement in CPS-3 includes:

• Reading and signing a consent form, completing a survey, providing some physical measurements, giving a small blood sample, and responding to follow up questionnaires by mail every two years following (for at least 20 years).
• Participants must be between the ages of 30 and 65 years & have no personal history of cancer to join CPS-3.

We want to thank several of our bloggers who are helping to spread the word about CPS-3 to their online communities -- several of whom have signed up to participate in the study themselves! Ladies, you rock! Check out their posts, linked below. And if you live in the Bay Area and are interested in participating in CPS-3, email kaitlyn {at} wearewomenonline {dot} com

Debbie Kaplan, Frisco Kids

Amy Heinz, Using Our Words (Amy is participating!)

Suz Lipman, Slow Family (Suz is participating in the study! Woo!)

Whitney Moss, 510 Families

Beth Blecherman, Tech Mamas (Beth is participating! Go Beth!)

Ana Picazo, BonggaMom and BonggaMom Finds (Ana is also participating! Yay!)

Alicia Gonzalez, 24/7 Modern Mom (Alicia is participating, woop woop!)

Polly Pagenhart, Lesbian Dad (Polly is participating! :D)

Sheri Silver, Donuts, Dresses and Dirt

Image credit American Cancer Society