ATLANTA - Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is pledging $10 million to the American Cancer Society, the second-largest gift in the organization’s history, to help provide one-on-one support for cancer patients in U.S. hospitals, the American Cancer Society said Wednesday.

The society said the money will help it develop 50 new sites for its Patient Navigator Program. One of the first three sites was in AstraZeneca’s U.S. base of Wilmington, Del., at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care.

“While there are many uncertainties associated with cancer,” said Richard C. Wender, the national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society, “the Patient Navigator Program can relieve some of these anxieties by providing personalized support and education for the needs of each patient and their families.”

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper is remaining true to a pre-election campaign promise by investing $260 million to set up a new national body aimed at fighting cancer.

Stephen Harper has informed the public over the establishment of the Canadian Partnership against Cancer, which gathers a team of more than 700 cancer experts who will seek effective methods for cancer prevention and treatment.

“Cancer strikes without warning, plays no favorites and touches all of us,” the prime minister said during the announcement, made at Montreal General Hospital.

Calling it a “clearing house” for the latest information on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Harper said the new agency could keep 1.2 million Canadians from developing cancer in the next 30 years and prevent more than 400,000 cancer deaths.

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