The Global Fight Against Cancer

February 4, 2009, Is World Cancer Day

                                                                   

On World Cancer Day, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) will launch “I love my healthy active childhood," the second full-year theme in the UICC's “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world” cancer prevention campaign. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and children around the world. According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion adults are overweight, and at least 300 million of these are clinically obese. The International Obesity Taskforce estimates that one out of every ten school-age children is overweight. Of these, around 30-45 million children, that is 2-3% of children aged 5-17, are obese. Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase the risk of cancer among adults. World Cancer Day 2009 marks the start of a year-long campaign, where UICC will work with parents, teachers, and decisionmakers around the world to encourage kids to eat a healthy diet, be physically active, and maintain a healthy body weight.

For more information about World Cancer Day and the World Cancer Campaign, contact the UICC at wcc@uicc.org.

American Cancer Society Supports World Cancer Day, February 4

In the first global initiative of its kind, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), a global consortium of cancer-fighting organizations that includes the American Cancer Society, will lead a year-long effort to promote smoke-free environments for children. “I love my smoke-free childhood” will launch on World Cancer Day, February 4. The American Cancer Society is voicing its support for this initiative and World Cancer Day, and remains a leading organization in the efforts to reduce tobacco-related cancers worldwide. Protecting children from inhaling tobacco smoke and from initiating tobacco use is critical to nurturing a healthy start and reducing the risk of cancer later in life. Some 700 million children - almost half of the world's youth – regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, and tobacco companies are always seeking new smokers. On January 30, 2008, Altria, the world’s largest tobacco company, announced it would spin off its international division, creating a global company that could introduce harmful and addictive products in many countries without meaningful restrictions on marketing or product safety. The American Cancer Society and other groups fear this could fuel a pandemic of tobacco-related cancers, as well as heart and lung diseases. “I love my smoke-free childhood” marks the first full-year focus on a cancer-prevention practice endorsed by the World Cancer Campaign, a five-year movement launched globally on World Cancer Day 2007.