Friday, February 4th, is World Cancer Day, a day aimed at preventing millions of cancer-related deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer and by pressing governments and individuals around the globe to take action in the fight against cancer.
2022’s theme is “Close the Care Gap” aimed at understanding and recognizing the inequities in cancer care worldwide. 2022 is the year to question the current status, start reducing stigma and to listen to the perspective of people living with cancer and their communities.
Preventing Cancer
This World Cancer Day, it’s important to take some time to learn how you can prevent cancer. Here are some tips to reduce your risk:
- Don’t use tobacco, which has been linked to lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidney cancer.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Maintain a healthy weight, which can help lower the risk of breast, prostate, lung, colon, and kidney cancer.
- Drink alcohol moderately as the risk of breast, colon, lung, kidney, and liver cancer increases depending how much alcohol you drink regularly.
- Limit processed meats.
- Wear sunscreen. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer — and one of the most preventable! Wear sunglasses, hats, and seek shady areas in addition to putting on the SPF every time you leave the house.
- Avoid risky behaviors that can increase the risk of cancer, such as unsafe safe, needle sharing, and smoking.
- Seek regular medical care, including cancer screenings, which increase your odds of finding the cancer early and beating it.
Joining the Cause
If you’d like to get involved this World Cancer Day, here’s how:
- Use social media to share your story and have it amplified.
- Donate to cancer research or patient funds.
- Create a World Cancer Day event in your community.
- Give baked goods, gift cards, and other small gifts to hospice caregivers in your community who take care of cancer patients.
Hospice Care Can Help
Hospice care helps cancer patients and their families with pain and medication management, spiritual care, bereavement care, and so much more. Contact us today to learn more.