World Cancer Day - Feb 04th

[Deepak Kiran]

World Cancer Day: A leading international awareness day​

Every year, ‘World Cancer Day’ is celebrated on 4th February to unite the people of the world to fight against cancer.

World Cancer Day every 4 February is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). By raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, we're working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all - no matter who you are or where you live.

Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to unite under one voice to face one of our greatest challenges in history.

Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organisations and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, places of worship - in the streets and online - acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.

This year's World Cancer Day's theme, 'I Am and I Will', is all about you and your commitment to act. We believe that through our positive actions, together we can reach the target of reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030.

Join us on 4 February and speak out and stand up for a cancer-free world.

Our time to act is now.

 

[Deepak Kiran]

 

[Deepak Kiran]

World Cancer Day – Colors of Support​

 

[Deepak Kiran]

World Cancer Day is is an opportunity to raise awareness and draw attention to the fact that everyone - individually and collectively - can help to prevent and control cancer.

In the Americas, cancer is the second leading cause of death, where there are an estimated 2.8 million people are newly diagnosed each year and 1.3 million people are dying from the disease each year. Approximately 52% of new cancer cases and 35% of cancer deaths are in people 65 years of age and younger, in the prime of their lives. If no further action is taken, the cancer situation is projected to increase to over 4 million new cancer cases and 1.9 million cancer deaths by the year 2025.

Cancer can be prevented and controlled by implementing evidence-based strategies for cancer prevention, screening and early detection, treatment and palliative care. The most common modifiable risk factors for cancer, which are shared with many other noncommunicable diseases, are:

• Tobacco use
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• Harmful use of alcohol
• Lack of physical activity
• Chronic infections from human papilloma virus (HPV) -for cervical cancer, hepatitis B and C - for liver cancer, and H.pylori - for stomach cancer

It is estimated that 30-40 percent of cancers can be prevented by reducing these risk factors. Public health policies can be put in place to support individual healthy lifestyle choices, and that make them the easy choice. Many other cancer types, notably cervical, breast and colorectal cancer can be detected early and treated effectively through organized screening and early detection programs, and access to timely cancer treatment.

PAHO/WHO is working with its member countries in different aspects related to cancer prevention and control. For cancer prevention, PAHO/WHO is:

• Advocating for reducing the use of tobacco and harmful use of alcohol and encouraging healthy lifestyles.
• Supporting the introduction of HPV vaccines and HPV testing for improved cervical cancer prevention programs.

For cancer control PAHO/WHO is:

• Working in the improvement of the quality of screening and diagnosis cancer services with a focus on early detection of breast and cervical cancers.
• Improving the quality of radiotherapy, and access to affordable and essential chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment.
• Expanding access to palliative care programs and opioids for pain relief and symptom management.
• Working with the governments in ensuring equal access to health services for all the cancer patients, aiming to reduce their catastrophic health expenditure and improve quality of life and survival chances.

 

[Deepak Kiran]