Each year on 4 February, World Cancer Day empowers all of us across the world to show support, raise our collective voice, take personal action and press our governments to do more. World Cancer Day is the only day on the global health calendar where we can all unite and rally under the one banner of cancer in a positive and inspiring way.
According to CANSA (The Cancer Association of South Africa), for the past two years, World Cancer Day supporters around the world have been sharing their ‘I Am and I Will’ commitments – pledging bold and brave actions to reduce the impact of cancer. Here are a few things you can do to make a difference in the fight against cancer:
Know your body – be aware of changes and do regular self-examinations (skin, breast or testicular). Get to know the cancer signs and symptoms.
Vaccinate against HPV and Hepatitus B viruses that may lead to cancer.
Do regular cancer screening and make an appointment at your local CANSA Care Centre for : clinical breast examinations and Pap smears (cervical cancer screening test for early diagnosis) and Prostate Specific Antigen (blood tests to assist with detecting prostate abnormalities) or Fotofinder (skin examinations) and Faecal occult Blood Home-test kit (for early detection of colorectal cancer).
Eat smart – find information on CANSA website
Use CANSA’s online Lifestyle Risk Assessment Tool that can help identify health risks that you need to address
Keep moving – staying active is essential, get off to a great start by participating in your local Gijima For CANSA, CANSA Active events or support the World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge, a global virtual cycling event.
The importance of World Cancer Day
The global cancer epidemic is huge and is set to rise. Currently, 8.2 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, out of which 4 million are premature deaths (aged 30 to 69 years). Urgent action needs to be taken to raise awareness about the disease and to develop practical strategies to address the cancer burden. Global disparities in access to prevention, treatment and palliative care are growing exponentially.
World Cancer Day is the ideal opportunity to spread the word and raise the profile of cancer in people’s minds, in the world’s media, and on the global health and development agenda.
World Cancer Day is an initiative by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). UICC is the leading international non-governmental organisation that unites the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity, and to integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda.
Watch as Xylon Van Eyck, South African cyclist, triathlete and cancer survivor sends a message of support for World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge.
(Video courtesy of CANSA)
