Sleep Number donated $100 to the American Cancer Society for every person that takes "The Defender" digital assessment, a free preventative screening that helps reduce the risk of cancer.

Good news first: cancer survival numbers are at record highs and death rates are dropping. Treatments are more effective and diagnostic tools are better at pinpointing disease.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there have been many positive developments:

• A 33% decline in cancer mortality since 1991

• A 65% drop in cervical cancer rates

• 3.8 million cancer-related deaths have been averted, and there are fewer incidences of cervical cancer rates in women between the ages of 20-24

And still, in the United States:

• Cancer is the second most common cause of death after heart disease, meaning 1 person dies from cancer every minute

• In that same minute, 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with cancer

• There are significant racial disparities in treatment and survival

Cancer is prevalent in today's society — but more than one-third of cancer-related deaths could be prevented.

Make Cancer Prevention a Priority

February 4 is World Cancer Day, a day to bring awareness to the many types of cancer and the impact cancer has on lives, the economy and worldwide care. One goal is to boost cancer prevention by identifying modifiable risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use, poor diet and lack of exercise.

This is where The Defender tool comes in, a free online cancer risk assessment developed in partnership with the NFL.

Answer a few questions, and in minutes, you'll have an action plan with your personalized MVP Tips — the Most Valuable Prevention Tips.

Donating to Make a Difference

While you are assessing your cancer risk factors, you are also supporting a good cause: From January 30 until February 20, 2023, Sleep Number donated $100 to the American Cancer Society – up to $50,000 – for every person who took The Defender online quiz.

Participants also got a chance to win autographed NFL memorabilia and a Sleep Number^® p5 smart bed.

During Super Bowl LVII, Sleep Number teamed up onsite with the American Cancer Society and the NFL, hosting The Defender tool inside its content studio at the media center.

What does cancer have to do with sleep, you ask?

The Connection Between Cancer and Sleep

Sleep is vital when it comes to healing from and thriving with cancer.

The National Cancer Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health) estimates that as many as half of cancer patients have trouble sleeping, whether that's from stress, pain, cancer treatment or a number of other factors.

Quality sleep, on the other hand, has also been linked to boosting immunity. Sleep Number is a natural ally in helping improve wellbeing.

Long-term Commitment to Cancer Research and Support

The powerhouse partnership between American Cancer Society and Sleep Number kicked off in February 2022 with the announcement of a landmark study on the connections between cancer and sleep.

Over a period of six years, 13+ billion hours of Sleep Number^® smart bed data will be analyzed alongside data from ongoing cancer prevention studies. The goal is to determine the influence of quality sleep on reducing cancer risk and improving outcomes for cancer patients and survivors.

Sleep Number also provides smart beds and other sleep innovations to American Cancer Society's Hope Lodges to support patients and caregivers when they need to stay away from home during cancer treatment.

“When people face a cancer diagnosis, one of the most common barriers to receiving timely, high-quality care is actually access to lodging," said Dr. Arif Kamal, Chief Patient Officer, American Cancer Society.

For Sleep Number's support of ACS's mission via joint research, funding and support of its Hope Lodges, Sleep Number was named American Cancer Society's 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year.

Know Your Cancer Risk Factors

As the study moves forward and sleep data collection continues, stay in the game, get your stats — and enter for a chance to win a Sleep Number^® smart bed while learning more about how to lower your cancer risk factors.

Boosting wellbeing through quality sleep is one of your best defenses against cancer. So whether you're team Eagles or team Chiefs, may the best sleep win.

Take The Defender Quiz

Like diet and exercise, quality sleep is essential for optimal wellbeing and performance. Because everyone's sleep needs are different, Sleep Number^® smart beds sense your movements and automatically adjust firmness, comfort and support to keep you both sleeping comfortably. Find your Sleep Number^® setting for your best possible night's sleep, and if you own a Sleep Number^® bed, log in to your Sleep Number^® Rewards account to see your exclusive offers, refer friends and more.