SIOP and ICCCPO members represent the various sectors in the coordinated response to childhood and adolescent cancer including physicians, childhood cancer parent organizations, advocates, academia, scientific and lay communities from almost 100 countries that together account for 84% of the global population.
World Cancer Day is an annual event organized by the UICC on 4 February. It is the singular global initiative in which the international cancer community is brought together under one voice to fight cancer and advocate for universal access to treatment, care and support.

This year, the theme of World Cancer Day is “Together it is possible.” The theme was chosen to highlight the fact that the world will only be able to reduce premature deaths attributed to cancer and other non- communicable disease (NCD) by 2025 if every person, organization, in partnership with their national governments, cooperate and work together in finding solutions to the epidemic.

World Cancer Day 2012 is particularly important this year as it falls almost half a year after the first UN High-level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and the signing of the Political Declaration supporting prevention and control of these devastating conditions, including cancer.

The UICC is asking the support of the global cancer community to use this upcoming milestone to encourage everyone affected by cancer (individuals, civil societies and governments), to ensure that they take responsibility for reducing the burden of this disease.

SIOP President Gabriele Calaminus notes “I am so pleased to learn that the UICC has underscored the vital importance of collaboration among cancer fighting organizations. In the fight against childhood cancer, we are deeply proud of our relationship with our sister society, the International Confederation of Cancer Parent Organizations (ICCCPO) as well as with other childhood cancer fighting organizations around the world. Without this spirit of true partnership, the fight against childhood cancer would be even more difficult and challenging .”

ICCCPO Chairman Kenneth Dollman states “Across the globe childhood cancer parent groups are liaising with key stakeholders in their countries to improve the care that is offered to children with cancer. What we are excited about is that internationally like-minded organisations are co-operating and coordinating efforts to advocate on behalf of children with NCD’s to global policy makers for children to receive greater attention than they are currently afforded.”

Each year 175,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, of which an estimated 90,000 will die from the disease. The exact number of new cases is not known because in many countries not all children with cancer are registered or ever diagnosed at all. These figures are staggering given the fact that 70% of all childhood cancers are curable. Cancer is the second leading cause of death among children in developed countries.

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