On Mar. 6, 1984, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Margaret M. Heckler launched a new cancer prevention awareness program by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to inform the public about cancer risks and steps individuals can take to reduce risk.

The institute’s goal is to save 105,000 additional lives annually by the year 2000 by improving treatment for people who have developed cancer.

The cancer institute’s goal is to cut today’s smoking rate by half. The institute estimates that would prevent 75,000 smoking-related deaths per year. The objective also is to save 20,000 lives per year by dietary changes aimed primarily at reducing colon cancer.