Every February 4th is world Cancer day celebration, the theme for 2021 World Cancer Day 2021 is ‘I Am and I Will.’ This year is a reminder of the enduring power of cooperation and collective action.
It will also observed to raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding the disease that is the second leading cause of death globally.
, “Together all our actions matters”. That is, when we choose to work together, we can achieve what we all wish for –a healthier and brighter world without cancer.
The Coordinator, Children With Cancer Intervention initiatives, (CCII) Honor Onyebuchukwu,through a press statement said that the aim to observe world cancer day is to reduce misconceptions about cancer and to help people in getting the right information about it. Also it offers a chance to make impact on the patients lives.
According to her,Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) was established in 1993. Based in Geneva, it is a membership-based society working towards the eradication of cancer around the world and advancing medical
The world Cancer Day traditionally, has been the day set aside by the world body, Union for International Cancer Control, UICC to call the attention of the whole world to the plight of cancer patients and the progress being made in the area of cancer management globally.
World Cancer Day aims to 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 cancer.
The 2021 World Cancer Day celebration becomes very unique knowing that the year 2020 has been extremely traumatic globally because of the impact of Covid 19 pandemic upon the entire world.
Covid 19 pandemic has greatly impacted negatively on the world’s living style and standard, and this has affected practically every facet of our lives, including the global efforts in the area of cancer management.
Covid 19 pandemic has presented huge challenges globally for cancer management professionals, patients, cancer societies and other care givers.
Recognizing therefore these unique challenges that has faced, and still facing the entire world from the Covid 19 pandemic, the World Cancer Day 2021 is dedicated to the courage and achievements of people living with cancer and their families; as well as professional care givers, volunteers, advocates and many others in the area of cancer management.
In its efforts to better understand and assess the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the operations and activities of its members, the Union for International Cancer Control, UICC conducted a questionnaire based survey in 2020 amongst 1200 members in 172 countries.
The result showed that 83 out of the 108 organisations that responded, that is 77% reported drastic reduction in income, while 86, that is 80% reported reduction in activities and services.
Covid 19 pandemic also affected the advocacies done in 2020 as many of the activities in this direction happened within the national boundaries due to global lock down.
World Cancer Day 2021 celebration has also not escaped the impart of Covid 19 pandemic as many of the traditional activities associated with the celebration globally has either been scaled down drastically or removed totally. This is the same reason while activities of Children with Cancer Intervention Initiative, CCII for the day has been limited to what the government regulations can allow.
Notwithstanding the ugly season of Covid 19 pandemic, the Union for International Cancer Control, UICC happily announced that this has not dampen the spirit of cancer management globally.
The world cancer body still believes in partnering with, and encouraging governments around the world to invest in cancer control and be innovative in their approach so that they can better understand their cancer burden, and improve on prevention, early detection and treatment of the scourge. This is the same policy direction that CCII believes in.
The World Cancer Day 2021 therefore is essentially to show the innovative responses of the cancer organizations around the world to the pandemic as they continue with efforts to maintain progress in cancer care even in this difficult season.
In furtherance of these efforts in responding properly and more broadly to the challenges of Covid 19 pandemic on cancer services and Heath system, a World Cancer Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to hold in Boston, USA in October 2021 where participants will dwell on how innovative approaches can facilitate continued care for people with cancer.
In CCII, our objective is to localise these efforts of the world body in our nation Nigeria. And our modus operandi is advocacy in every form of it. This we believe, God helping us, we shall continue to do until the myth of cancer is destroyed in our generation.