Let’s beat cancer Africa need help — World Cancer Day 2019
This great infographic from a global cancer control organisation, @UICC, put the hard facts before us and let’s us see what we can do. 
I Can, We Can – World Cancer Day – CANSA
We Can. I Can: Make an Impact and Lower Cancer Risk
FACT: On 4th February each year, it’s World Cancer Day (WCD).
WHY? To give people, everywhere, a platform to create cancer awareness, sharing knowledge to lower the cancer risk.
CONSIDER: The impact you could make through your family, local school, library, health practitioners, sports clubs, organisations, workplace and social media platforms to get the message out there, potentially saving lives.
PREDICTION: Cancer deaths may increase to over 14 million per year, globally, over the next 10yrs…
Local Cancer Landscape: In South, Africa, cancer is under–reported due to the lack of a comprehensive cancer surveillance system. In 2012, 77 440 cases were referred to the NCR. The latest Stats SA figure shows a steady increase in deaths attributable to cancer from 5.6% in 2006 to 9.1% in 2015.
Global Cancer Landscape:
- Approximately 8.2 million people die from cancer worldwide every year
- 4 million of these deaths are premature (aged 30 to 69 years)
ACT: The facts should lead you to act – NOW. What will you do this WCD and beyond to fight cancer in your community? See some great ideas below and join CANSA in being an active participant in the global effort to combat cancer.
How can you and role players in your local community take hands to lower cancer risk where you live, work and play?
Slideshow
Infographic
CANSA urges everyone to be more active – in every sense – in the fight against cancer by incorporating sport-related and wellness activities into daily routines.
Physical activity has been shown to combat cancer, including: lowering cancer risk, and helping cancer patients manage the side-effects of treatment such as fatigue, depression and heart damage.
CANSA will be participating as a member of the Cancer Alliance, in the ‘Patent Reform’ Media Round Table / Webinar, on 30 January 2018, to mark World Cancer Day & raise awareness. We’d love to have you show your support at the following events:
- Gijma for CANSA in Durban
- Gijima for CANSA in Pietermaritzburg
- Gijima for CANSA in Vaal Triangle (17 Feb)
- Lace Up for Cancer in Cape Town
- Once Step at a Time – Cancer Warrior Walk in Johannesburg
Schools, libraries, health clinics, service groups, sports clubs and education professionals are encouraged to promote and educate our youth about their health and well-being and WCD is a great opportunity to learn more, take action and engage in this critically important health issue.
Spread the Word
You can also raise and amplify awareness about fighting cancer with your community and contacts, by downloading these WCD Selfie posters. Print the messages that are meaningful to you, and share your selfie and message, using the hashtags #WorldCancerDay #WeCanICan, on your social media platforms.
Our Advocacy, Research and Service Delivery team members share their WCD message and encourage you to do the same
Light the Way
Cities and towns provide a valuable platform in promoting and protecting public health. It would be fantastic to add iconic landmarks in South Africa to that list, and light them up in blue on World Cancer Day. Let’s light up the way to a world without cancer. City or provincial representatives can contact the closest CANSA Care Centre to make arrangements.
If you miss the opportunity to create awareness on World Cancer Day, all is not lost! Join us at public Shavathons at local shopping centres countrywide, on the 24th February 2018, and let your hair make a bold statement for you. Shave, spray or donate your hair in honour of cancer Survivors, raising funds for care & support programmes.
We look forward to seeing how you choose to participate in World Cancer Day – let’s see #WorldCancerDay and #WeCanICan trending!
World Cancer Day – Saturday Feb 4th 2017
World Cancer Day is fast approaching, and there are many activities planned for the day. This is the second year that will fall under the 3 year “We can, I can” World Cancer Day campaign.
Use the links to go to each page for further details and information.
Download the full brochure with information here with images to use for social media.
There are multiple activities planned for the day:
- Fun Walk (Calvinia)
- Balanced Lifestyle Workshop (Cape Town)
- Lace up for Cancer (Cape Town)
- Cycling Tour (Carletonville to Cape Town)
- Gijima for CANSA (Durban)
- Golf Day (Gauteng)
- Yoga on the Beach (Port Shepstone)
To add there is even a mannequin challenge shown in the video below.
Which 3 provinces met cervical cancer screening targets in 2014?
Cervical cancer screening coverage by province
Cancer of the cervix (CaCx) is the only NCDs indicator monitored in the District Health Barometer 2013-2014 due its historical focus on Millennium Development Goals.
- Cervical cancer (CaCx) is the 2nd most frequent cancer among SA women
- Most frequent cancer among women between 15-44 years
- 43 million women aged ≥15 years are at risk
- 7,735 women are diagnosed with CaCx every year
- 4, 248 die from CaCx.
- 21% of women in the general population are estimated to have cervical HPV infection at a given time
- Over 60% of invasive CaCx are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18.m
- HPV vaccination of girls before sexual activity is the best primary prevent
It is the nearly 20 million women who are at risk that need the CaCx screening and the ones below are only of women 30 and older. Only screening tests are considered… that is to find those who need further investigation.
- 1st place: KZN is the best performing province for the second year running.
- 2nd place: North West improved increased its performance by 13.1%
- 3rd place: Western Cape
Maximising the quality of life this World Cancer Day
Today is World Cancer Day and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is emphasising that cancer is “not beyond us” in terms of cancer control and reducing the impact of the disease.
Elize Joubert, CANSA’s Acting CEO says “World Cancer Day is important because the global cancer epidemic is huge and set to rise. Currently 8.2 million people die from cancer worldwide every year – in South Africa, more than 100 000 are diagnosed annually. This day helps us spread the word and raise the profile of cancer”.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC) more than twice as many people die from cancer than from Aids, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. The WHO projects that without immediate action, the global number of deaths from cancer will increase by nearly 80% by 2030, with most occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Taking place under the tagline ‘Not beyond us’, World Cancer Day focuses on taking a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist regarding cancer care and early detection and that they are within reach.
As part of World Cancer Day, CANSA is hosting Open Days at its 30 CANSA Care Centres countrywide inviting communities, workplaces and the media to visit and find out more about our care and support programmes.
“We want to ensure fewer people develop cancer and that cancer survivors are successfully treated and offered care, support, guidance and advice to all those affected by cancer to ensure a better quality of life. We
know that cancer can have a serious impact on a person’s emotional, physical and mental state – so by understanding and responding to that impact – the quality of life for patients, their loved ones and caregivers can be maximised,” Joubert added.
CANSA provides comprehensive care and support programmes for cancer patients and their families, to help them find the best care solution and advice on managing side effects of treatment, be it physical, emotional and / or spiritual.
Joubert states, “Take part in our Open Days and find out more about how we work towards a cancer-free world. Many of our CANSA Care Centre teams also provide early detection screening programmes to help reduce the cancer risk, while our nine Mobile Health Clinics provide screening and early detection programmes in remote areas.”
She concluded, “For many people facing a cancer diagnosis, it’s the toughest fight of their lives. Maintaining social support networks and talking about cancer is important for both the person living with cancer and their caregiver. So we encourage cancer survivors to join our ‘iSurvivor’ e-online support programme. It’s a free, e-mail based programme written by a cancer survivor to help other survivors cope better. It’s a manageable guide with all the helpful resources available such as health information, where the nearest CANSA Care Centre is, how to lead a balanced lifestyle, how to reduce the risk of recurrence of cancer and where to find counselling and support.”
For more info visit www.cansa.org.za or contact CANSA toll-free 0800226622 or at [email protected] as email address. Follow CANSA on Twitter: @CANSA (http://www.twitter.com/@CANSA), Instagram (http://instagram.com/cancerassociationofsouthafrica) and join CANSA on Facebook: CANSA The Cancer Association of South Africa.