C2CC Tackles Cancer Myths on World Cancer Day to Promote Screening
TORONTO, MaRS Centre, Feb. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - World Cancer Day: The Campaign to Control Cancer (C2CC) today with its partners worked to dispel four of the most common cancer myths to help save millions of preventable deaths each year. The goal of the World Cancer Day event was to raise awareness about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals to take action against the disease and help address the poor performance of screening rates in the GTA and beyond.
The most stubborn cancer myths explored were:
- Myth: Cancer is my fate
- With the right strategies, at least 30% of cancer cases can be prevented based on current knowledge like proper screening
- Myth: Cancer is a Death sentence
- Truth: many cancers that were once considered a death sentence can now be cured and for many more people their cancer can now be treated effectively, especially when detected early
- Myth: Cancer is just a health issue
- Truth: Cancer is not just a health issue. It has wide reaching social, economic, development and human rights implications
- Myth: Cancer is a disease of the wealthy, elderly and developed countries
- Truth: Cancer is a global epidemic, affecting all ages and socio-economic groups, with developing countries bearing a disproportionate burden
"While there are some brilliant resources and facilities for cancer control in the GTA, we still have a problem reaching people, ensuring seldom screened and never screened people have access to information that is useful, and easy to find and understand," said Dr Brent Schacter, Chair of C2CC. "That is why effectively engaging audiences through social media and events like these is so important. "
The event featured expert panellists and emerging student leaders and hosted over 300 hundred participants at the MaRS Centre in the heart of Toronto's "Hospital Alley," while live streaming the event worldwide to registrants from Peru to Cameroon.
"We need to apply what we know about cancer control and find new ways to engage, energize and excite community leaders, faith-based leaders, young advocates and leaders in the student population," said Pat Kelly, CEO of C2CC. "Cancer agencies cannot fix the problem alone. We need to innovate and empower by mobilizing the public using digital tools that reach new audiences."
The event was hosted by the C2CC, MaRS, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, and is sponsored by Janssen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada.
The Campaign to Control Cancer is a national coalition of more than 70 leading Canadian cancer organizations that include Canada's leading grassroots cancer patient, professional, charitable and corporate organizations, working in unison to champion a better response to cancer control in Canada. This coalition includes cancer patients, nurses, radiation therapist, patients, doctors, families, advocates, researchers, corporate sponsors, cancer groups and survivors that are dedicated to cutting cancer down to size through knowledge, change and action. Find out more about C2CC at www.controlcancer.ca.
World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Dr. Brent Schacter, Chair, Board of Directors, C2CC, co-chair of the Canadian Task Force on Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer
Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery District
Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Medical Director of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada and Regional Vice-President of Cancer Care Ontario for Toronto South
Paul Alofs, CEO, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
Shelly Jamieson, CEO, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
Dr. Craig Earle, medical oncologist at Sunnybrook's Odette Cancer Centre, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Senior Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Director of Health Services Research for Cancer Care Ontario and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
SOURCE: THE CAMPAIGN TO CONTROL CANCER
For further information:
For more information or to schedule an interview with the following panelist please contact Ron Ross at (416) 807-9061 or [email protected].
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