The Oral Cancer Foundation Joins the National #GivingTuesday Movement To Encourage Spending and Giving With A Purpose

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Nov 29, 2013, 04:33 ET

Pledges to raise funds for a HPV/Oral Cancer National Awareness Campaign

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Nov. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Oral Cancer Foundation has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of it's kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, business and individuals – to transform how people think about, talk about how to participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support and help create a better world. Taking place on December 3, 2013 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving - #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.

We have partnered with #GivingTuesday to support our National Oral Cancer/HPV Awareness Campaign that will begin in early 2014. The Director of the National Cancer Institute stated in his message to the American public at the beginning of this year that while progress is being made in cancer in general, and survival rates are higher and treatment options greater, there are only two areas in which cancer is on the rise in the US - cancers related to obesity and cancers related to the HPV virus. Because the fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population is directly connected to the HPV virus, NOW is the time to act. The American public needs to be informed in order for change to take place.

"OCF is proud to join the #GivingTuesday movement because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday season is more about giving to help others in need rather than consumerism." said Brian Hill, OCF Founder/Executive Director.

We are seeking funds for this national campaign to further our organizations' outreach to educate the public about not only the risk factors but also the early signs and symptoms of this deadly disease. We plan to take action through the following avenues; public awareness events, key medical, dental, and scientific opinion leaders brought into the public arena in various media - from TV to print, web, radio and print based advertising/education, strategic partnerships with other HPV oriented organizations, and through development of high school lecture and sex ed programs. We hope to create an understanding of HPV oral cancers and through that, reduce not only the death rate, but the high level of morbidity associated with the treatments for this disease.

Originally seeing an opportunity to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving, a group on friends and partners, led by the 92^nd Street Y, came together to find ways to promote and celebrate the great American tradition of giving. Thought leaders in philanthropy, social media and grassroots organizing joined with the 92^nd Street Y to explore what is working in modern philanthropy and how to expand these innovations throughout the philanthropic sector. The concept gained steam, and by bringing together a group of founding partners – including the United Nations Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, Mashable, Blackbaud, charity:water, GlobalGiving, Iraq and Afghanistan Verterans of America (IAVA), Kiva, Darden Restaurant Group, Groupon, Unilever and VentureThree Capital – a nation wide series of discussions about how to make #GivingTuesday a success is already underway. Each week, new organizations have joined the movement and are providing creative ways people can embrace #GivingTuesday and collaborate in their giving efforts to create more meaningful results.

A team of influencers have met to discuss the innovative ways that people are approaching giving during challenging economic times, along with how Americans can give smarter and new media to encourage positive change in their communities. Those who are interested in joining The Oral Cancer Foundation's #GivingTuesday initiative can visit: http://donate.oralcancer.org/event/givingtuesday.

About The Oral Cancer Foundation
The Oral Cancer Foundation is a non-profit 501(c) 3, public service charity that provides information, support, research funding and advocacy related to this disease. It maintains a web site at http://www.oralcancer.org, which receives millions of hits per month. At the forefront of this year's agenda is the drive to promote solid awareness in the minds of the American public about the need to undergo an annual oral cancer screening, and an outreach to the dental community to provide this service as a matter of routine practice. Supporting the foundation's goals is a scientific advisory board composed of leading cancer authorities from varied medical and dental specialties, and from prominent cancer educational, treatment, and research institutions in the United States.

Website: www.oralcancer.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oralcancer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oralcancerfnd

About #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. It will culminate with a global day of giving on December 3, 2013. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, businesses and indivudials – to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better worlds. #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit:

Website: www.givingtuesday.org

SOURCE Oral Cancer Foundation