One month to World Cancer Day 2023!

World Cancer Day 2023 is now only one month away! On 4 February, millions of people around the world will unite to move closer to a world where no-one dies from a preventable cancer or suffers unnecessarily and where everyone has access to the cancer care they need.

World Cancer Day 2023 marks the second year of the three-year ‘Close the care gap’ campaign centred on the issue of equity. This second year is about uniting individuals and organisations, advocates and policymakers in calling for change and taking action. It is also about celebrating real-world progress, not just in innovation and medical advances but even the humblest of actions that can have a significant impact: motivating neighbours to provide transport to cancer treatment for a fellow resident or ensuring that healthy and affordable food options are offered at the local school.

UICC will be looking more specifically at how unhealthy products such as tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed foods drive a significant proportion of preventable cancer deaths, and how companies selling these products often exploit already marginalised or vulnerable groups (youth, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, ethnic minorities), amplifying the stark equity challenges faced in most countries.

What to expect on World Cancer Day 2023

• Hundreds of activities taking place around the world, including UICC’s “5k Challenge” encouraging people from all walks of life to close a loop of five kilometres by running, cycling, swimming, hiking, walking or other means, symbolising closing the care gap. 
• “21-day challenges” for people to create new positive healthy habits, help eliminate cervical cancer or educate themselves and speak out about inequities in accessing cancer services.
• An in-depth look at the socioeconomic factors, such as cultural contexts, gender norms, income and education levels, as well as the prejudices, discrimination and assumptions based on age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability and lifestyle that create wide disparities in cancer prevention, incidence and survival.
• A call for renewed action to improve cancer awareness, practice cancer prevention, support innovations in diagnostics and treatment, and address inequities and weaknesses in health systems exposed by COVID-19. 
• Opportunities for interviews with UICC Board Members in the North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, India and Africa, as well as UICC member organisations around the globe.

Available for download

• A range of branded materials, including toolkits, posters, how-to guides, infographics and factsheets, which individuals and organisations can personalise and use to raise awareness and promote their own activities in connection with World Cancer Day.
• Social media graphics and videos including Instagram filters.
• Global press materials

World Cancer Day has become one of the most celebrated health awareness days around the world. Last year’s campaign saw over 900 activities and events take place in 105 countries, and 319 iconic landmarks were illuminated in 213 cities to mark the day, including Westminster Palace in London, Petra in Jordan and Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The hashtag #WorldCancerDay trended on Twitter globally throughout the day, and over 375,000 social media posts were shared, including from U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, the British Royal Family and First Lady of Nigeria Aisha Muhammadu Buhari. More than 110,000 campaign materials were downloaded from the website, with 50,000 custom posters generated by visitors.