World Cancer Day 2013
By Dr Arvind Kumar
Each year 4th February is observed as World Cancer Day. World Cancer Day is part of the World Cancer Campaign, which responds to the Charter of Paris adopted at the World Summit against Cancer for the New Millennium on 4 February 2000. It called for a strong alliance between researchers, health-care professionals, patients, governments, industry partners and the media to fight cancer. In 2013 the theme will be “Dispel damaging Myths and misconceptions about cancer”, in particular the myth that cancer is a disease affecting rich countries – cancer affects everyone, no matter where they may be in the world! World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), through which we aim to help save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease.
Currently, 7.6 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, out of which, 4 million people die prematurely (aged 30 to 69 years).i So unless urgent action is taken to raise awareness about the disease and to develop practical strategies to address cancer, by 2025, this is projected to increase to an alarming 6 million premature cancer deaths per year. Each year World Cancer Day focuses on a different issue that we can try and change in ourselves. In the past these have included giving children a smoke-free environment and encouraging healthy diets and exercise. Cancer kills more people than do AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis put together. Measures to prevent cancer include eschewing tobacco, having good dietary habits, physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, environmental health, prevention of cancer causing infections and limiting alcohol intake.
