Nomination must be completed by ACS Staff and/or an Event Leadership Team Member and/or Area/Region Leadership Team Member and/or Current/Alumni VOH.

Program Goal: To identify, recognize, and train a select group of cancer survivors and caregivers from across the United States to share their unique stories and outstanding involvement in the American Cancer Society movement with the public.

Program Selection Overview:

• Cancer survivors and/or caregivers are identified and nominated by volunteers and staff from across the United States through a nomination process.
• Using the guidelines detailed below, Region VOH Selection Team will review nominations and select their representative(s)
• This will be a 2 step process.
  • 1st step: The actual nomination - an honor to be nominated.
  • 2nd step: Once the nomination has been accepted, the nominee will be contacted. At this point, they will be informed of the honor associated with the nomination and of the program's criteria and responsibilities. They may then choose to complete the application and proceed with the nomination. Once the application is submitted, the VOH Selection team will finalize the nomination.
• Nominations will be accepted year-round with quarterly selections.

Nomination Criteria:

• Nominee must be active/knowledgeable in the American Cancer Society’s events and/or programs.
• Nominee must be a cancer survivor and/or caregiver.
• A survivor nominee is defined thus: The American Cancer Society believes that each person has the right to define his or her own experience with cancer and considers a cancer survivor to be anyone who describes himself or herself this way, from diagnosis throughout the rest of his/her life.
• A caregiver nominee is defined as an unpaid loved one who gives the person with cancer physical and emotional care. Caregivers may be partners, family members, or close friends. Most often, they are not trained for the caregiver job. Many times, they're the lifeline of the person with cancer. Here are a few tasks the caregiver might help the person with cancer do: shop for and prepare food, eat, take medicines, bathe, groom and dress, use the bathroom, clean house and do laundry, pay bills, find emotional support, get to and from doctor’s appointments, tests, and treatments, manage medical problems at home, coordinate cancer care, decide when to seek health care or see a doctor, etc.
• Nominee must reside in the Region in which they were nominated.
• Nominee is representing the American Cancer Society and should promote a healthy lifestyle.
• Nominee must be a non-smoker.

Selection Criteria
Nominees should be prepared to:

• Speak at American Cancer Society functions and events.
• Represent the American Cancer Society in public by telling your personal story and connecting it to the American Cancer Society's mission.
• Complete all formal trainings for the Voices of Hope program in the time provided. This will be done via the ACS Volunteer Learning Center. This will allow the nominee a flexible timetable to complete the training.
• Participate in Voices of Hope trainings and conference calls for additional learning opportunities.
• Assist in recruiting cancer survivors and caregivers to attend/participate in their local ACS events.
• Actively participate in ACS events in their Area/Region.
• Actively participate in the Voices of Hope program for one year and remain active after their 1st year. Once a Voice, Always a Voice!
• Execute a partnership agreement with the Voices of Hope chairpersons (or mentor/coach) to ensure understanding of the program and responsibilities.
• Grant permission to have their personal story and photograph publicized, promoted, and published through media, social media, and collateral materials as needed.
• Be interviewed by media for print, television, or radio as available.
• Understand fully that travel expenses are not reimbursable due to limited budget.

Once you have reviewed the criteria and feel your person meets or exceeds the criteria, we encourage you to complete the Nomination Form.

Nominate a Voice of Hope