In February, World Cancer Day 2024 will raise awareness of the Close The Care Gap campaign, to reduce the inequities that exist in accessing quality cancer services worldwide.
The focus of the final year of this three-year campaign is to encourage supporters "to become lifelong advocates fully equipped to push for lasting change."
Aside from innovation and medical advancements, real-world progress is also celebrated. Even the most modest actions can have a big impact, such as encouraging people to drive a neighbour to cancer treatment or making sure that the local school provides a variety of healthy and affordable food options.
Here’s everything you need to know about World Cancer Day 2024 and how to participate.
When is it?
World Cancer Day is celebrated every year on February 4.
Created in 2000, World Cancer Day aims to raise worldwide awareness, improve education, and inspire action, both personal and from the Government, against preventable cancer deaths.
It is a global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
How can I support the campaign?
There are hundreds of events happening all over the world, such as UICC's 5k Challenge, which encourages people from all walks of life to complete a 5 km loop by running, cycling, swimming, trekking, or other methods as a way to bring attention to the cause. Participants are then encouraged to post their activities on social media, with the hashtags #WorldCancerDay and #CloseTheCareGap.
There are also 21-day challenges, for people to create new positive healthy habits or educate themselves and speak out about inequities in accessing cancer services.
In order to participate, choose one of the three challenges on the UICC website, sign up, and then, every morning, you will receive an email with a lesson, an inspiring prompt, or a new activity to engage in.
If these activities don’t fit your schedule or you choose not to participate, World Cancer Day also take donations through their website.
