Did you know that February 4th is earmarked as an international day for the world to raise awareness of cancer and promote prevention, detection and treatment? The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) a non-governmental organization based in Geneva founded in 1993 dedicated this day to unite communities with the goal of reducing the cancer burden globally and integrating cancer control into the world health and development agenda.
What did you do on World Cancer Day?
From North America to Australia there were free cancer screening clinics, walks and cycling for cancer awareness and a host of activities around the globe.
Medical students from the Icahn School of Medicine held a bake sale to raise money to support the development of the first public Cancer Center in Liberia. This Center will provide care to women with breast and cervical cancer in a country where the diagnosis of cancer often means a death sentence.
The United Nation’s global movement “Every Woman Every Child” sponsored a program Towards a Cervical Cancer Free World which included an screening of the documentary Lady Ganga. This story highlights a remarkable woman with cervical cancer who spent her dying days paddling on the Ganges River to bring awareness to cervical cancer. The evening also included remarks and reflections by her courageous 16-year old daughter Amy Baldwin.
World Cancer Day 2016 has come and gone, but we should not refrain from empowering ourselves, and others with knowledge about cancer so we can quickly recognize its symptoms and seek care in the early stages when our chances of cure are highest.
What will you do on World Cancer Day 2017?