As the Carbon-Tamaqua American Cancer Society Telethon' telethon celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, it's important to look at all the services offered.

Through the American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service, the ACS connects patients with more than 64,000 different treatment options. They also offer an online support community for cancer survivors and caregivers that has brought together more than 93,000 people since 2000.Through our American Cancer Society Hope Lodge network, the ACS provides cancer patients and their families with a free place to stay when they have to travel away from home for treatment. In 2013, they provided more than 265,000 nights of free lodging to nearly 43,000 patients and caregivers, saving them nearly $38 million in lodging expenses.With 140 sites at hospitals and treatment centers across the country, the American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program provides one-on-one guidance to people facing cancer through every step of their journey. In 2012, the program served more than 88,000 people.Finding cures"We're getting results by investing in research that helps us understand cancer's causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it," said Desiree Carton, media relations of the American Cancer Society.As the largest non-governmental funder of cancer research, having spent more than $4 billion on cancer research since 1946, the ACS has played a role in nearly every cancer breakthrough in recent history."Our own research and that of our funded researchers helped to confirm the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, established the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developed drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showed that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer," said Carton.The ACS funds beginning researchers with cutting-edge ideas early in their careers 47 of whom have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest accolade in scientific achievement.Fighting backCarton said that ACS has helped pass laws that defeat cancer and rally communities to join the fight."At its core, the American Cancer Society is a grassroots force of more than 3 million passionate volunteers who tirelessly seek to save lives from cancer," Carton added. "We work with lawmakers everywhere to make this world a healthier place to live and we rally communities around the globe to join our fight."Whether it's passing smoke-free laws, increasing funding for cancer research, improving access to quality health care, or inspiring communities to take up the fight, Carton said the ACS fights on all fronts, because the lessons they have learned from one battlefield can mean victory on another."Thanks in part to the efforts of the Society and our nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), more than 81 percent of the U.S. population is now covered by some form of smoke-free law," she said. "Together with ACS CAN, we have helped pass state laws ensuring that people have access to and coverage for lifesaving cancer screenings and treatments. We have helped more than three million uninsured, underinsured, and low-income women get breast and cervical cancer screening tests since 1991, and, along with ACS CAN, we have successfully fought for legislation protecting this care."One in every 100 Americans participates in one of the 5,200 American Cancer Society Relay For Life events held nationwide each year, which comprise the world's largest movement to end cancer.The American Cancer Society is the leader in the fight to end breast cancer.She added, "Our Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events unite communities across the nation to help save lives from breast cancer and together, to get to the finish line faster."The 35th Annual American Cancer Society Telethon will air from noon to midnight Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, on Service Electric (Channel 90) and Blue Ridge Cable (Channel 13). Last year alone, the Telethon raised over $200,000 to help in the fight against cancer.