5 Things You Didn’t Know About World Cancer Day

A new day, a new holiday – or at least it feels that way. We’re entering day 35 of 2019 and have already celebrated National Bubble Bath Day, International Hug Day, Organize Your Home Day (wildly embraced by Marie Kondo fans everywhere), and National Compliment Day,  just to name a few.  

But today’s a day we Rethinker’s believe is worth embracing. Start circling February 4th on your calendars because it’s World Cancer Day – a day where people from Brazil to Uganda come together to bring cancer to the forefront of the global conversation. Maybe you’re a World Cancer Day newbie and are wondering what exactly makes this day special. Well, get comfy and read on ‘cause Rethink is here to school you on World Cancer Day.

Believe it or not, World Cancer Day is nearly two decades old. Created on February 4th 2000, World Cancer Day was established as part of the Paris Charter, a by product of the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris. The day was created as part of the charter’s initiative to “promote research, prevent cancer, improve patient services, raise awareness and mobilise the global community to make progress against cancer”. Fast-forward to 2019 – World Cancer Day has made its mark and is here to stay, striving to inspire action for long-lasting change not just on February 4th but year-round.

A staggering 9.6 million people die each year from cancer, with approximately 70% of cancer deaths are happening in the least developed parts of the world. World Cancer Day exists to close this gap by increasing awareness and education, and removing the stigma that still exists in many countries. Despite having just been crowned the country with the best of quality of life, Canada isn’t immune to disparities in health outcomes and access to resources. Startlingly, inequities still exist in Canada among lower-income, indigenous, immigrant, sexual and racial minority, and rural communities.

Being a savvy Rethinker, you may be wondering why another awareness day is even necessary – aren’t we all painfully aware of breast cancer anyways? Yes, for better or for worse the pink ribbon has been part of North America’s collective consciousness since Estée Lauder featured them as part of their Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign in 1992. Most of us have been touched by breast cancer in some way – whether you are a patient or have a loved one that’s been affected by the disease. Canadians may be aware of the disease in broad stroke, but are grossly misinformed about basic aspects of the disease. This is most evident when it comes to metastatic breast cancer, with 50% of Canadians unaware of this advanced form of the disease. No matter how much “awareness” we muster, myths, misinformation and stigma around cancer still exists. Enter World Cancer Day, here to facilitate a global conversation about cancer until it’s a thing of the past.

That’s right, World Cancer Day is a hot topic on your social media channel of choice. In 2018, #WorldCancerDay trended globally and saw nearly half a million social media mentions. The day successfully brought together a global community of people passionate about creating change, with more than 100,000 materials downloaded and shared in up to 54 different languages. The event successfully captured the world’s attention, with 137 countries actively participating. Want to join the conversation to help to amplify the World Cancer Day message everywhere? Well…

Yes, you can take part in the global movement to ensure that access to life-saving cancer diagnosis, treatment and care is equal for all – no matter where you live, your income, your ethnicity or gender. So, what will you do to take action? Whether it’s making healthy choices, being breast aware, or advocating for women with metastatic breast cancer, we want to know. Post on social media using the hashtags #WorldCancerDay and #IAmandIWill, and tag Rethink to keep us in the loop!

Not sure how you can make an impact? Watch and listen as these Rethinkers reveal what they’re going to do to make positive change.

Want your very own Give-A-Care T-Shirt as seen on the amazing Rethinkers in our video? Head here to pick one up. All profits go towards support initiatives for young women affected by breast cancer.