Today is World Cancer Day. World Cancer Day is a global observance through which we extend people’s awareness of cancer and how to prevent, detect or treat it. This observance is held on 4th of February, each year.
Cancer awareness has become exceedingly important in the 21st century. While there have been numerous advancements in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer—factors that should contribute to the decline of the disease—the number of new cancer cases diagnosed each year has globally continued to increase. There were 8.1 million new cases diagnosed in 1990, 10 million in 2000, and some 12.4 million in 2008. The number of annual deaths worldwide from cancer has also increased—from 5.2 million people in 1990 to 7.6 million people in 2008. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), if the incidence of cancer continues to grow at the reported rate, the number of deaths worldwide from cancer will increase to more than 13.1 million by 2030. However, also according to WHO, as many as 40 percent of deaths from cancer are preventable.
As a result, raising awareness of cancer prevention has become a prominent goal of many cancer and health organizations around the world, and World Cancer Day has come to represent an annual reaffirmation of the importance of this goal.
In honour of this observance, here are the things you can do;
- CALL/ VISIT: Call at the nearest health centre or those on medical missions for your health status. There, interact (if possible) with the cancer patients, and make them aware of the structures in place for their treatment, and hope for a future where cancer is no longer a life-threatening disease.
- VOLUNTEER: Be part of the group that seeks to help the general public learn more about the different types of cancer, how to watch for it, treatments and preventive measures.
- SYMBOLIZE: There are different symbols that are used to help promote the fight against different types of cancers. For example, the pink ribbon is a global symbol of breast cancer awareness, while the orange ribbon is associated with child cancer awareness.
*You could symbolize this day with a pink or orange ribbon attached to somewhere visible on or around you. We will be glad if you could share those pictures with us.
- PRAY: We gain strength in the place of supplications. Remember those affected in prayers.
We hope that you have a fruitful day out and an inspiring story to tell, even as we make the world a better place.
Cheers!
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