The Afghanistan Cancer Foundation was founded in 2017 by 10 doctors and five mothers in the capital, Kabul. (It was originally called the Cancer Organization for Research and Development of Afghanistan, now it is registered with the Ministry of Economy). At that time, a cancer diagnosis meant near-certain death. Rarely mentioned in public, this disease was steeped in fear and denial. Doctors sometimes did not even tell their patients they had cancer, and patients often did not tell their friends and families that they had been diagnosed with it.

The Afghanistan Cancer Foundation’s founders knew they had to raise public awareness about cancer if progress was to be made against this disease. Despite the enormity of their task, our founders and their colleagues began writing articles for popular magazines and professional journals; publishing Campaign Notes, a monthly bulletin of cancer information; and recruiting doctors throughout the country to help educate the public.

It was in these early years that the Afghanistan Cancer Foundation first used its now-iconic Sword of Hope symbol, which is still part of the organization’s logo today. The sword icon came from a 1919 nationwide poster contest. (Independence Day)

The twin-serpent caduceus, which forms the handle of the sword, emphasizes the medical and scientific nature of the Afghanistan Cancer Foundation’s work. Classically, twined serpents represent healing of the sick and creativity of the healthy.

Over the past 10 years, the logo has changed many times. Our most updated logo offers a modernization and simplification of the sword and serpent combination but continues to represent an impactful and cohesive entity at its heart: thousands of workers, caregivers, and volunteers united under the goal of adding years to life and life to years.