February 6th, 2024

​Mayor H.E. Carter Nevill

​PRO-24-02-001

A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING TWENTY YEARS OF EFFORTS BY LESS CANCER AND THEIR WORK TO EDUCATE, ADVOCATE, PARTICIPATE

WHEREAS, in 2004, recognizing the impact on the community that cancer leaves in its wake, Less Cancer was founded in Fauquier County under its more formal name Next Generation Choices Foundation, a public charity 501c3; and

WHEREAS, Less Cancer signifies a new paradigm for addressing cancer, one focused on prevention, this is a departure from previous treatment-focused approaches, which focus on beating, conquering, or curing cancer; and

WHEREAS, Less Cancer has provided everything from scholarships for nursing education to continuing medical education for Physicians, Nurses and Public Health Professionals to online and off-line programming including content and materials addressing cancer prevention, health disparities, and the social determinants of health as it relates to health access, screenings for cancer prevention and optimal outcomes for those situations where a cancer diagnosis was unavoidable; additionally the organization addresses risks to include environmental risks, toxic chemicals, lifestyle, nutrition, exercise and viral risks.; and

WHEREAS, today the organization has been recognized for initiating National Cancer Prevention Day 02/04, the National Cancer Prevention Workshop, and the United States, Congressional Bipartisan Cancer Prevention Caucus; and;

WHEREAS, based in Warrenton, Virginia, serving the local community, its work of Less Cancer has reached and been modeled in communities across the country; and

WHEREAS, while the work of the organization continues to spread, it has not lost sight of its founding roots and remains committed to our local footprint; and

WHEREAS, recently, the American Cancer Society reports lower overall cancer death rates, thankfully to the work of prevention has been impactful on lowering death rates; and

WHEREAS, while promising news for the first time ever cancer incidences will be over 2 million in 2024, almost 5,500 cancer diagnoses a day and in 2024, over 611,000 deaths from cancer are projected for the US; and

WHEREAS, both the Board of Directors and its President and Founder, Bill Couzens remain committed to the organization’s rural roots in Fauquier County, Virginia, in supporting community health through its work in education, advocacy and policy; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Mayor of the Town of Warrenton recognizes Less Cancer for twenty years of pioneering in prevention and their work of educating, advocating, and participating in their community and the nation to prevent cancer before it starts.

Download the full Proclamation here: PRO-24-02-001