World Cancer Day and Why It Matters for Everyone
World Cancer Day takes place on February 4 each year to promote public awareness relating to cancer, encourage cancer prevention and facilitate early diagnosis and provide support for people affected by cancer. Cancer is more than just a health concern; it also has social, emotional and financial implications on millions of individuals and families across the globe. World Cancer Day reminds us that the continuum of care for people with cancer begins with and continues with raising awareness and educating people about cancer, and taking appropriate action at all stages of the continuum of care.
Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death around the globe. The World Health Organization states that almost 10 million individuals die from cancer each year. Medical advances have made tremendous strides in diagnosis and treatment of cancer, however, the increased incidence of cancer, indicates that there is still a significant need for greater awareness, earlier diagnosis and equal access to healthcare services.
Table of Content:
- The Growing Burden of Cancer in India
- Importance of World Cancer Day
- Preventive Strategies and Early Recognition are Needed to Avoid Illness
- The Role of Community and Shared Responsibility for Prevention
- Transforming Awareness into Action
- A Collective Responsibility
The Growing Burden of Cancer in India
India is experiencing an increasing number of cancer cases. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, more than 14 lakh new cancer cases are diagnosed every year, and this number is projected to grow significantly over the next few years due to the increase in population, the ageing population, increased use of unhealthy lifestyles, continued tobacco smoking, increased exposure to environmental pollutants, and lack of preventive screening.
India frequently reports high incidence rate of cancer related to the breast, cervix, lungs, mouth and intestines. When detected early, many of these types of cancers can easily be treated. Often however, a high percentage of Women’s cancers are detected in late stages when complicated treatment and lower success rates are associated with a diagnosis. Therefore, enhancing awareness of Women’s cancer and early detection will ultimately reduce cancer deaths.
Importance of World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day communicates to the world not only statistics for an increase in cancers worldwide, but to appreciate that many individuals with these cancers have had their lives forever altered, as the majority of cancer patients, as well families, suffer enormous emotional, physical, and financial burdens.
World Cancer Day aims to help provide the public with the knowledge they need in order to make the best health decision possible for themselves. There are a number of cancers that can be prevented and may also have effective treatments if detected earlier. Also, many people facing cancer-related problems avoid getting help from either traditional health providers (i.e., doctors) or alternative health care providers (e.g., herbalists). World Cancer Day will help to eliminate many of the barriers (such as fear, shame, lack of knowledge, etc.) that prevent individuals from seeking medical assistance early.
Preventive Strategies and Early Recognition are Needed to Avoid Illness
Through implementing lifestyle modifications like avoiding smoking, drinking moderately, eating nutritious foods, getting enough exercise, and getting vaccinated against infectious diseases, we can help prevent from developing up to one-third of all types of cancer.
Early detection of cancer enables treatment to be initiated prior to the development of symptoms and may allow for a cure. There are a number of relatively simple tests to use to detect early signs of disease and abnormality. Diagnostic awareness refers to knowing what tests should be conducted on a timely basis and talking with your doctor regarding the need for screening as they can significantly improve your chances for a good diagnostic outcome.
Diagnostic Centers Support Timely, Accurate Identification of Health Problems. Diagnostic centers, such as Sikund Diagnostic, play a vital role in detecting health issues at the earliest possible time and in assisting doctors with making decisions based on accurate and timely information from testing.
The Role of Community and Shared Responsibility for Prevention
Cancer is not just something that individuals deal with by themselves; cancer can affect an entire family, workplace, and healthcare system. A holistic approach of promoting regular health checkups, having open discussions regarding the disease, emotionally supporting patients, and increasing the awareness of the disease in the community, will decrease the impact of cancer.
World Cancer Day also serves to raise awareness of how important it is to provide equal access to health care to all individuals. In India, geographical distance, financial hardship and social barriers continue to hinder many people from accessing quality health care. Educating people about progressive movements and the necessity of accessibility will serve to create awareness about the inequities that exist that will hopefully promote action at both an individual and policy level.
Transforming Awareness into Action
Observing World Cancer Day entails more than just wearing a ribbon or posting information about the event electronically; rather, it is imperative to create a true awareness of the need to encourage all of the aforementioned actions. Examples of how to transform awareness into actions include learning what the early warning indicators for different types of cancers are; motivating family and friends to receive early screening; discontinuing to use products that will negatively influence their health; providing support to those individuals who may be fighting against cancer.
The increase in awareness facilitates the opportunity for individuals to be diagnosed with cancer in the earliest stages and the potential for improved patient outcomes. The collaborative efforts among the various diagnostic centres, health care providers and community organisations to educate the public about the importance of timely diagnosis and accurate reporting. Sikund Diagnostic is just one such example of a diagnostic centre that is committed to the promotion of an individual’s health through quality care and continued education.
A Collective Responsibility
World Cancer Day gives a collective reminder that all of us have or will have a direct or indirect relationship to someone who has been or will be diagnosed with cancer. All of us share the responsibility to inform, educate, and support each other as we strive to improve our current level of health and reduce the toll that cancer has on our future and all of the lives that we touch.