(Hershey) -- About 40 years ago, President Richard Nixon declared a so-called "War on Cancer" by signing the National Cancer Act. The legislation helped strengthen federal initiatives to fight cancer by creating the National Cancer Program, which remains part of the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute today. Research funded by the federal government has also contributed to earlier detection of cancer as well as improved treatment. As a result, cancer survival rates have improved over the past 40 years. witf's Facing Cancer Together is an interactive multimedia effort to connect the stories and lives of people touched by cancer. To mark the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer Act, witf's Megan Lello spoke with Diane Phillips, senior director of government relations for the American Cancer Society: