Press Releases
HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI, August 15, 2023 – Nearly 8,500 Hawaiʻi residents are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year and thousands of others are living with the disease. The recent wildfire crisis has caused many patients in Hawaiʻi to be left without medication, medical supplies, access to cancer treatment as well as food, clean water, and shelter.
The American Cancer Society is quickly responding to the crisis by providing critical aid and resources for affected patients including airfare, food, and lodging assistance. ACS’s California Guam Hawaii Division, which works year-round in communities across the state of Hawaiʻi, has established a task force to continue to monitor the needs of patients throughout the crisis and to deploy additional strategies to relieve the cancer burden.
The American Cancer Society Clarence T.C. Ching Hope Lodge in Honolulu, which provides free lodging to cancer patients and their families, has already begun accepting patients displaced by the fires. ACS is also working closely with area hotels to secure additional low-or no-cost housing options.
“Disruptions to cancer treatment pose a significant risk to the survival of cancer patients in Hawaiʻi,” said Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society. “We are committed to leveraging our expertise and resources to quickly assist patients and their families during this extremely difficult time.”
Hawaiʻi patients seeking information and support can call ACS’s National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) anytime, day or night, at 1-800-ACS-2345. ACS provides specific information related to cancer and natural disasters at this resource page and a myriad of resources at cancer.org.
To enable the public to support critical services for cancer patients in Hawaiʻi, ACS is accepting donations at cancer.org/cancercrisisresponse.
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About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.