World Cancer Day. Closing the Care Gap in 2023
While we live in a time of awe-inspiring advancements in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, people seeking cancer care still hit barriers at every turn. Income, education, geographical location and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care.
This year’s World Cancer Day’s theme, 'Close the Care Gap' is all about uniting our voices and taking action.
What is World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is an international day marked on 4 February to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. It is led by the Union for International Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.
Campaign Theme 2022-2024: Close the Care Gap
The current theme of World Cancer Day is all about striving for equity in cancer care and the way it's delivered across the world. To achieve this, action needs to be taken globally, in a variety of ways. Whether it's donating to cancer charities or motivating neighbours to provide transport to cancer treatment for a fellow resident - there are countless actions any of us can take.
On World Cancer Day, let's mobilise our friends, family, coworkers and communities because we know that together we are unstoppable. It’s time to close the care gap.
What do we mean by 'inequity'?
In healthcare, inequality refers to the uneven distribution of resources. By contrast, inequity means unjust, avoidable differences in care or outcomes. The difference may seem subtle, but closing the cancer care gap isn’t really about simply providing everyone with equal resources. One size doesn’t fit all, and every challenge demands a different solution. Equity is about giving everyone what they need to bring them up to the same level.
Key Issues
Where you live. Who you are. Where you come from. What you do. Who you love. These are called the social determinants of health, and they represent the many factors that may lead to inequities. They can unfairly stand between you and cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
- Gender norms and discrimination
- Barriers for minority populations
- Socioeconomic status
- The rural-urban divide
- Age discrimination
- Refugee status and forced displacement
- Homophobia, transphobia and related discrimination
- Barriers for care for people with disabilities
Read more: worldcancerday.org/keyissues
Statistics
- 10 million people died from cancer in 2020.
- 70% of cancer deaths occur in low-to-middle income countries.
- Less than 30% of low-income countries have cancer treatment services available (compared to 90% in high-income countries).
- For white women in the US, the five-year survival rate for cervical cancer is 71%. For black women, the rate is just 58%.
- In New Zealand, Māori are twice as likely to die from cancer as non-Māori.
- Cancer kills nearly 10 million people a year and some 70% of those are aged 65 or older, yet older populations face disproportionate barriers to effective treatment.
- In refugee populations, cancer is more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to worse outcomes.
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved each year through resource-appropriate strategies for prevention, early detection and timely and quality treatment.
How you can take action
Get involved in any way that you can.
Join the conversation
Spread the word on social media. Find out more in the World Cancer Day Social Media Guide: worldcancerday.org/materials
World Cancer Day 5k Challenge
Close a loop of 5 kilometres or miles by running, cycling, swimming, walking, hiking...you get the picture! Once you’ve completed the challenge, post your feat on the social media channel of your choice and nominate 5 of your friends to do the same to help spread the word! Go to worldcancerday.org/world-cancer-day-5k-challenge for more information.
Get personal
Create your own custom poster with your own personal message of commitment and share it with the world. Create your poster online at worldcancerday.org/custom-poster.
Give something
Make a donation today at worldcancerday.org/give.
Inform yourself and others
Find out more about cancer, the equity gap and the impact it has on the people we love, our communities, and the world.
Advocate for action
Write to your political parties asking them to close the care gap, raise public awareness and take action this World Cancer Day.
Join the action
Show your support by showing up. Find an event near you on the Map of Activity, and sign up to attend, participate or volunteer. Find an event near you at worldcancerday.org/map.
Create an event or activity
Inspire others by hosting your own World Cancer Day event. From free screenings, record-breaking attempts, conferences, and fundraisers to fun runs add it to the Map of Activity to spotlight the awesome work that you’re planning.
Get inspiration and add your activity to the map: worldcancerday.org/map.
Light up the world
Make a statement by lighting up a significant landmark, monument or building to be illuminated on World Cancer Day in the colours of orange and blue in your city. For more information, email hello@worldcancerday.org
Spread the word
Write an op-ed, or blog story, record a video message, feature World Cancer Day on your website, an article in your newsletter, or reach out to a local journalist.
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