What Is Cancer Nation (Formerly NCCS) and What Does the Website Offer?

Updated

Canceradvocacy.org is the official website of Cancer Nation, formerly known as NCCS (National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship). It is a U.S.-based cancer survivorship advocacy organization. The site is built for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and anyone who cares about cancer care policy. Its main functions are advocacy, survivor research, policy education, and story sharing. If you want to understand how policy affects cancer care or want to get involved in survivorship advocacy, this site is a relevant starting point.

What the Organization Does

Cancer Nation describes itself as representing millions of Americans who share a common experience: living with, through, and beyond a cancer diagnosis. Its stated mission is to advocate for quality cancer care for all.

The site organizes its work around a few core areas:

  • Survivorship advocacy — bringing together people who care about cancer care to learn how policy shapes the health care system and how to improve it together.
  • Research — conducting an annual Survivorship Survey to explore how patients and survivors live with, through, and beyond cancer, and to capture a range of perspectives that inform the organization's mission.
  • Story sharing — collecting and publishing survivor stories to support the national cancer survivorship movement.

Main Sections of the Website

Section What It Offers Who It's For
Cancer Nation Advocates A program that teaches how policy shapes health care and how to join advocacy efforts Individuals who want to get involved in policy advocacy
Survivorship Survey Annual survey on survivor experiences; data can be requested Patients, survivors, researchers, and advocates interested in survivorship data
Survivor Stories A place to share your own cancer experience and read others' stories Survivors and caregivers who want to contribute or connect
Cancer Survivorship Checklist A practical checklist resource for survivorship Patients and survivors navigating life after treatment
Subscribe / Social Updates from Cancer Nation and social media follow links Anyone who wants ongoing news and engagement

Who Should Use It

The site is most useful if you fall into one of these groups:

  • Cancer patients and survivors looking for survivorship resources, a checklist, or a way to share your story.
  • Advocates and community members who want structured guidance on how cancer policy works and how to participate in advocacy through the Cancer Nation Advocates program.
  • Researchers or partner organizations interested in the annual Survivorship Survey and requesting its data.
  • Caregivers and supporters who want to follow survivorship news and updates.

How to Get Started

  1. Explore the Survivorship Checklist if you or someone you know is navigating life during or after cancer treatment — it is the most directly practical resource on the site.
  2. Join Cancer Nation Advocates if you want to learn how policy affects cancer care and take part in advocacy. The site provides a "Learn More and Join" path from the program description.
  3. Take the Survivorship Survey or request data if you are interested in how survivor experiences are measured and used.
  4. Share your story through the Survivor Stories section to contribute to the national survivorship movement.
  5. Subscribe to Cancer Nation Updates via the subscribe page if you want ongoing news; the site also links to social media channels for following the organization.

What to Keep in Mind

The site is primarily an advocacy and community organization's website, not a clinical or treatment-information portal. Its value lies in policy education, survivor research, and community engagement rather than medical guidance. If your goal is to understand treatment options, this is not the right resource; if your goal is to understand or participate in cancer survivorship advocacy in the U.S., it is directly relevant.