DACC support the World Cancer Campaign for 2009 and

 wish to inform you of it’s importance

Wednesday, 4 February 2009, was World Cancer Day

about the world cancer campaign

The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) initiated the World Cancer Campaign in 2005 in response to the Charter of Paris of 2000.

The Charter of Paris chose 4^th February as World Cancer Day. Since 2006, UICC has coordinated World Cancer Day activities, supported by members, partners, the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and other international bodies.

"Today's children, tomorrow's world" – prevent cancer with healthy habits

This is a five-year programme, launched on World Cancer Day 2007.

It aims to raise awareness about the ways we can prevent cancer through the choices we make. 2007 introduced the overall theme.

From 2008 to 2011, each year will focus on a different issue:

• 2008 – give children and young people a smoke-free environment
• 2009 – encourage an energy-balanced lifestyle based on healthy diet and physical activity
• 2010 – learn about vaccines against viruses that cause cancers (e.g. HBV vaccines)
• 2011 – teach children and teenagers to avoid UV exposure by being "sun smart"

"Today's children, tomorrow's world" focuses on kids. Healthy habits learned early in life have a significant impact in later years. The World Cancer Campaign calls on all those with a say in how children live their lives – parents, teachers, health workers and decision-makers – to help children make healthy choices that can mean a cancer-free future.

Each year, UICC helps its members and partners to run public awareness campaigns in their countries, measure their effectiveness, and promote regional education and mobilization projects.

• my smoke-free childhood"
  Provide children everywhere in the world with a smoke-free environment.
• 2009 "I love my healthy active childhood"
  Raise awareness about the link between overweight, obesity and cancer. Encourage kids to eat a healthy diet and be physically activity.
• "My child matters" – childhood cancer in developing countries

UICC launched the "My child matters" initiative on World Cancer Day 2006 to support children with cancer and their families.

• In developed countries about 75% of children with cancer survive, but in resource-constrained countries most children do not. "My child matters" is the largest and most comprehensive childhood cancer programme in resource-constrained settings.
•  “My child matters” has already funded 25 pilot projects in 16 countries, covering public awareness, early detection, treatment and follow-up care, professional education, and palliative care.

On World Cancer Day, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) will launch “I love my healthy active childhood”, the second full-year theme in our “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 decision-makers 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 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .