16/02/2023
International Childhood Cancer Day is a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, the survivors and their families.
Despite the advances in medicine and medical technology, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease for children past infancy. Not only is childhood cancer traumatic, but it also requires specialised treatment and care. Paediatric oncology is an important field in medicine that works with cancer in children and devises strategies for treatment, pain management, and home care.
Cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents around the world. Each year more than 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer globally. In the Region of the Americas, there were an estimated 32,065 new cancer cases in 2020 in children 0 to 14 years old; of them, 20,855 cases in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The vast majority of the children with cancer live in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where they face unacceptable inequities in early detection, diagnosis, and access to quality treatment and palliative care.
How to observe International Childhood Cancer Day?
✅Reach out to children with cancer - Childhood cancer is a difficult disease to experience.
✅Spread information about childhood cancer - Make pamphlets, flyers, or websites, to spread information about childhood cancer. This is a great opportunity to ensure that people who need the information about treatments receive it.
✅Be part of the tree of life campaign - Childhood Cancer International works with the International Society of Paediatric Oncology on a campaign for cancer advocacy. Volunteer with these organisations to help amplify the message of hope and life-saving medication as part of the tree of life campaign.
