World Cancer Day 4th February- closing the care gap

We have been preoccupied by the pandemic in the last two years but let’s not forget global burden of cancer. In 2021 there were over 20 million people who were diagnosed with cancer and 10 million died. You will struggle to find a person who didn’t have a close family member who had cancer or even died from it. Although there are good treatments available and many can be prevented the numbers are likely to increase in the coming decades.

We know cancer not only affects the physical health but also the mental and financial healths of not only the affected but also the family. This is sometimes disproportionately higher in not only in low and middle income countries but also in lower income groups in higher income countries. The theme this year is closing the gap, this is important even UK where postcode lottery for treatment is still a problem, lack of awareness leads to delays in diagnosis and chronic ill health leads to poorer outcomes. It’s also important to acknowledge even though NHS is free at the point of delivery often patients have financial difficulties due to ability to work or access benefits and may be pushed into poverty.

Therefore we all as global citizens should collaborate, show solidarity and commit to a future where we can provide equitable and effective treatment for cancer. There’s no doubt cancer treatment was disrupted during the pandemic so let’s focus our attention back to this.

Many around the world will be fund raisers to support research and support patients; kudos to everyone who are doing this fantastic job and it’s our moral duty to support this noble cause.

Please remember early diagnosis is important for a good outcome.

If we want to create a future without cancer, the time to act is now.

#breastcancer , #breastcancerawareness , #cancercure , #cancerspecialist , #breastcancerhelp