February 4th is World Cancer Day. This initiative was started in 2000 by the Union for International Cancer Control. The purpose of this international event is to raise awareness, promote education and encourage personal, collective and government action to prevent cancer and make access to life-saving care accessible for all. To celebrate this important and worthwhile goal, I’ve compiled 20 World Cancer Day quotes to help inspire and encourage us all to get involved with this worthwhile mission.
This year’s theme of World Cancer Day is “Close the Care Gap”. According to the World Cancer Day website, this is the final year of a multi-year campaign to make sure leaders across the world understand the global impact of cancer and as a result, commit resources to prioritizing cancer care for everyone. Health inequities must be eliminated so that everyone has access to quality health care whenever they are needed.
It’s estimated that almost 1/3 of all cancers can be cured if they’re detected early. So it’s important to not only raise awareness about cancer prevention, but also increasing awareness campaigns about methods to detect cancer cases early.
While educational events are important, knowledge and awareness aren’t enough. Everyone needs and deserves access to these early diagnostic tests, through programs like mobile mammography units to conduct mammograms in rural areas or neighborhoods where residents don’t have access to transportation to get to screening events, or don’t have access to regular medical care.
Funds need to be dedicated to cancer research and improving the quality of life of people with cancer. New treatments should be developed that are ultra effective, but less toxic – anything for the betterment of the life of cancer patients.
Cancer drugs should be available to people all over the world, not just high and middle-income countries.
There is a lot of work to be done, but change is possible with many of us working together to bring about change. Read on after the quotes for ways that you can get involved.
World Cancer Day Quotes
In honor of World Cancer Day, here are 20 inspirational quotes.
1. “Cancer cannot cripple love; it cannot shatter hope, it cannot conquer the spirit.’ – Unknown
The above quote comes from a poem ‘What Cancer Cannot Do’. I’ve made this available for my readers as a free printable download.
2. “Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul.” — Jim Valvano
3. “We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell.” – Lance Armstrong
4. “At the timberline where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found.” – Unknown
5. “The human spirit, like a phoenix, rises from the ashes of cancer, resilient and stronger than ever.” – Unknown
6. “Love and laughter are two of the most important universal cancer treatments on the planet. Overdose on them.” – Tanya Masse
7. “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow.” – Orison Swett Marden
8. “You know, once you’ve stood up to cancer, everything else feels like a pretty easy fight.” – David H. Koch
9. “Cancer opens many doors. One of the most important is your heart.” – Greg Anderson
10. ‘Cancer is a marathon – you can’t look at the finish line. You take it moment by moment, sometimes breath by breath, other times step by step.” – Sarah Betz Bucciero
11. “I am not this hair, I am not this skin, I am the soul that lives within.’ – Rumi
12. “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” – Hippocrates
13. “Cancer companions accompany people with cancer on their journeys. They do not walk in front of or behind the person with Cancer. They walk alongside, arm-in-arm.” – Anonymous
14. “You can be a victim of cancer or a survivor of cancer. It’s a mindset.” – Dave Pelzer
15. “Without hair, a queen is still a queen.” – Prajakta Mhadnak
16. “It was early detection that saved my voice – and I imagine, my life.”- Rod Stewart
17. “When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.” — Stuart Scott
18. “Cancer is an ugly disease. But the beauty of life after cancer is worth fighting for.” – Unknown.
19. “You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved.” — Unknown
20. “On this fourth of February, let us take a vow to not let anybody think that Cancer is a lost battle because it is not.” – Unknown.
Getting Involved on World Cancer Day and Beyond
Our experiences with cancer, either through our own cancer journey or the impact of caring for someone with cancer can be used to make a positive impact on others around the world. It can help put a face to the disease, and sharing personal experiences can encourage others to make a positive change in their lives.
A friend and neighbor of mine was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She was open about her symptoms and diagnosis and urged her friends to also get screened via colonoscopy. The guidelines had been changed not too long ago that dropped the recommended screening age to 45, but many of us had not been told about this by our doctors, so were unaware.
But because my friend used her experience in the face of adversity to do one little thing and encourage others to talk to their healthcare professionals, there were about 8 of us on our street alone who took that important step.
Dozens more were inspired and encouraged by her and joined the shared commitment of promoting screening and detection and made changes to live a more healthy lifestyle to help reduce their risk of developing cancer.
Getting involved on World Cancer Awareness Day and beyond doesn’t have to be complicated, time intensive or cost a lot of money. Share your story on social media. Encourage others to get screened and tell them about the importance of early diagnosis.
Talk to leaders in your community, state, nation and globally about the annual observance of World Cancer Day, and why it’s so important to make sure everyone has equal access to health care, including cancer care. Ask them to change policies that hinder equal access to cancer care, and to dedicate money to research and improving services for those that do have cancer.
Your voice as a person with cancer or a cancer caregiver is so important, and should be included with other people’s stories about how a cancer diagnosis has affected your life. Just like my friend, who is now thankfully cancer-free, you can use your tough fight to educate and encourage others.
As we all continue to take collective action, think of that ripple effect it can and will have on people around the world!
