Health care: a top issue for US Democrats in the election year.

Rooted deeply in society and the scientific world, DCS established for the commemoration of its 50th anniversary a range of events, each aiming at a special part of its backing. Speach-making was a congress annex information market where patients and careproviders met and discussed developments in cancer control and the needs of patients. In September DCS together with the association of next of kin of cancer patients organised the first Cancer Memorial Day in the Netherlands. It preceeded the official commemoration of 50 year Dutch Cancer Society, a Scientific Congress attended by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix. At that occasion the chairman of DCS set a clear goal: in the next 25 years the cure rate for cancer in the Netherlands should increase from half to two-thirds of the patients. The commemoration year was concluded by a national fundraising TV-manifestation. It raised over 25 million guilders and more than 70,000 new donators.