World Cancer Day 2016: We Can. I Can.

This year’s theme—“We can. I can.”—will carry us from World Cancer Day 2016 on February 4 through World Cancer Day 2018. Together, we can make a real difference by raising research funding and awareness, but individually we can try to prevent cancer in our own lives, and that’s important, too.

 

The worldcancerday.org website lists the key messages for 2016-2018.

 

WE CAN:

• Inspire action, take action
• Prevent cancer
• Challenge perceptions
• Create healthy environments
• Improve access to cancer care
• Build a quality cancer workforce
• Mobilize our networks to drive progress
• Shape policy change
• Make the case for investing in cancer control
• Work together for increased impact

I CAN:

• Make healthy lifestyle choices
• Understand that early detection saves lives
• Ask for support
• Support others
• Take control of my cancer journey
• Love and be loved
• By myself
• Return to work
• Share my story
• Speak out

Follow four steps to become involved with World Cancer Day over social media:

1. Write a supportive WCD message on your hand using the “We can. I can.” theme.
2. Take a picture of your hand featuring the message.
3. Share the picture on your social accounts using the hashtags #WorldCancerDay and #WeCanICan.
4. Visit worldcancerday.org to see your picture featured on the Wall of support.

In addition, you can participate in The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign, which aims to raise up to $24,000 globally in 24 hours on World Cancer Day with the theme “Every Action Counts. What’s Yours?” To participate:

1. Go to BCACampaign.com to create an animated video or image to express a message of support.

2. Share your video or image on social with #BCAstrength.

 

For every custom video or image created on BCAcampaign.com and shared on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with #BCAstrength on World Cancer Day, The Estée Lauder Companies will donate $24 to fund lifesaving breast cancer research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

 

City of Hope also has created an interactive page to get people involved in World Cancer Day.

 

“For patients, doctors, and everyone else here at City of Hope, the battle against cancer is going on all day, every day,” says Emily Parris Sandler, director of online engagement and giving programs at City of Hope. “And on February 4, people around the globe will come together in this fight. Will you be a part of this international movement with the entire City of Hope community?”

 

City of Hope is dedicating this year’s World Cancer Day to the “young innovators” who have joined City of Hope in recent years. “These bright young scientists are already changing the face of cancer research and turning the ‘impossible’ into ‘possible,’” Sandler says. “Still, every 30 seconds, someone in the United States hears the words, ‘You have cancer.’ So we’ll keep pushing the boundaries of science until we find a cure—on World Cancer Day and every day.”