World Cancer Day 2023
Tomorrow, February 4th, is World Cancer Day. It is a day to raise awareness, improve education, and spark personal and government action to prevent cancer as well as help improve access to life saving cancer care for all people. The day started in 2000 as a way to unite people and give a voice to all the people struggling with cancer. World Cancer Day is a yearly event where organizers around the world create events in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, religious communities, and online. This helps spread the message that everybody has a role to play in reducing the impact cancer has on our communities.
Around 100 million people die from cancer every year, making it the second leading cause of death worldwide. Around 40 percent of these deaths could be prevented since they are linked to unnecessary behaviors like smoking, alcohol, poor diet, and physical inactivity. Around 70 percent of cancer deaths are in low to middle income countries. Millions of lives could be saved every year by creating strategies that help with prevention, detection, and treatment.
There are many different barriers people can face when trying to receive cancer treatment. Even with advanced technology; income, education, geographical location, and discrimination because of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle can affect how people receive treatment. This led to the theme for 2022 through 2024 to be “Closing the Care Gap” and the focus for 2023 being “Uniting Voices and Taking Action.“ The goal is to fight for a world where anyone can seek the proper care they need and deserve and to celebrate technological advancements that allow more people to receive proper cancer care.
Uniting our voices and taking action is all about joining together with like minded people to spread awareness about cancer and its effects. Not only is celebrating the real-world progress that we see important, it is also important to create momentum from the progress to fight for equitable cancer care. Actions can include motivating neighbors to transport fellow neighbors to cancer treatment or pushing for healthy and affordable food options at local schools. Utilizing a network of friends, family, coworkers, and fellow community members, we can push for a world where everyone can receive the proper cancer care they need.
Cancer awareness is crucial because a third of cancer cases can be prevented and another third can be cured if treated properly and early enough. Utilizing strategies for prevention, early detection, and treatment can save millions of lives every year. There has also been a lot of progress, and more progress can happen if we invest in research and innovation. Agencies like the United Nations and World Health Organization have stressed the importance of a global commitment to fighting cancer. This can be done through equitable care. Around 65 percent of cancer deaths are in the least developed parts of the world. Poor people in high income countries are also struggling because of a lack of care. Low income, indigenous, immigrant, refugee, and rural communities all need access to the care that wealthier people receive. If we can raise awareness, we can reduce fears, increase understanding, and dispel myths and misconceptions about cancer care, allowing progress in the study and treatment of cancer.
If you were diagnosed with cancer like mesothelioma, lung cancer, or acute myeloid leukemia after working with asbestos, benzene, or another carcinogen, contact us today to see if you could be entitled to compensation. Call 412-471-3980 or fill out or contact form and a member of our team will get back to you to review your options.
