48th Annual Cancer Convention: Postponed, but definitely not cancelled

COVID-19 or rather the politics of COVID-19, has once again brought us to the conclusion that we cannot provide you with a safe and successful event in 2022. Early in this summer season, our contacts in the Los Angeles area were advising us COVID-19 restrictions would most likely be eliminated by Labor Day Weekend.

Based on those assumptions, we proceeded to enter an Agreement with the Hilton Hotel in Glendale (California), as we did from 2017 through 2019. Right around the first of July (2022) the State of California, in general, and Los Angeles County in particular announced mask mandates were once again imminent. Coupled with those restrictions, we reviewed the logistics of flight cancellations and delays during holiday weekends this year. For the three-day, holiday weekends in 2022, flight cancellations and delays reached between 2,000 and 4,000. This quickly became an unacceptable risk.

The COVID-19 restrictions would have made for an unbearable convention environment. With between 30% and 40% of our Speakers, Exhibitors and Attendees coming from outside the greater Los Angeles area via airplane, the real potential for a significant number of our participants missing a flight or arriving after a scheduled speaking time or an exhibitor losing a day to exhibit or a large part of our attendees missing the most important speaker on their personal program, the very difficult decision was made to cancel again this year. It was a difficult and painful decision.

For the benefit of those who have only recently become aware of Cancer Control Society, and as a reminder to our regulars, CCS continues to grapple with the challenges related to our move from Los Angeles. We were forced to move CCS headquarters from the Los Feliz area of Hollywood. That location had always been our center of operations. The decision was made to move the Office to Modesto. We moved to save money, as we reorganized. We are deeply distressed to be in this situation. Even though the ultimate outcome was beyond our control, we feel as if we let you down.

The greatest challenge facing CCS right now is financial. Our books, journals and literature are all in storage. We need to procure office and warehouse space here in Modesto, so we can organize what we have under one roof.

Our priorities for the balance of 2022 are:

1. complete our website renovation.

2. Develop steady income from our members and friends.

3. Develop a consistent digital communication program with regular updates posted on our website, as we progress.

4. Implement new Membership Programs.

5. Provide an update via Regular Mail to our Members and Friends who may not have an email address on file.

6. Locate suitable and affordable office and warehouse space here in Modesto.

7. Move all of our materials, currently in storage, into one location.

Our thanks to all of you who have called us and sent encouraging e-mails. We believe CCS will be stronger and a comprehensive resource by the end of this year. Please send us your thoughts and ideas via regular mail, e-mail, or telephone. In addition, in this turbulent economic time, if you can help us with a donation of $5.00 or more, we will be most grateful. Your donations will help us implement our Priorities even sooner. Click here for our secure PayPal Donate Form and donate to the Cancer Control Society.

We look forward with gratitude and anticipation for a fantastic future.

Sincerely,

Frank Cousineau, President
209-605-6196