Cancer awareness educates people about the truth behind the illness, its many different types, and its possible symptoms. Raising awareness about this illness teaches people to be more in tune with their health, teaching them the importance of seeing a doctor for regular checkups, especially if there’s a history in the family.
How can you help raise awareness about the illness?
Efforts in Raising Awareness
A lot of organizations promote cancer awareness. Examples of these are organizations that are specific to a type of cancer, like breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer.
The first thing you need to do is educate yourself on the subject. Make a conscious effort to learn and keep up-to-date about the illness. You’ll be in a better position to talk about cancer and be the voice of a campaign when you know more about the illness.
Then, support the organization’s events. Lend your time and assist at cancer charity donation efforts for both the survivors and those who are still getting treatment. Participate in organizing seminars at community centers. Pitch in by offering your professional expertise.
For example, you could volunteer your services as a social media manager and create online campaigns. You can create content specific to an audience, like the younger generation. If you’re still in school, volunteer your talent in web design, visual art, or music. Organizations can always use a helping hand on the front lines.
Why Bother With Cancer Awareness
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there were an estimated 1,735,350 newly diagnosed cases in the country alone in 2018. Of that number, 609,640 people will die from the disease.
But as of 2019, there have been 16,920,370 survivors of the illness. This figure may represent advancements in medical technology, allowing physicians to improve diagnosis and provide better treatment. it could also indicate that people are getting check ups, helping doctors detect the illness earlier.
Some types of cancer have little to no symptoms. So it’s important for people to know when they have to see a doctor and that they shouldn’t wait to feel pain before consulting one about their condition. Awareness of the illness allows people to determine their risk of developing it. And knowing whether they have it may be less invasive today than in previous years.
Screening for colon cancer, for example, doesn’t have to mean getting a colonoscopy. The U.S. Preventive Task Force suggests trying fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for people in their 50s up until those who are 75.
Since cancer deals primarily with abnormal cells, it is also likely hereditary. If a patient’s family has a history of cancer, they’re possibly at a higher risk of developing the illness later as they age than a person who has no family history of it. Knowing as early as possible could increase their chances for survival. Cancer treatment is effective at the earliest stage of the illness. But the medical community has yet to develop a cure.
Awareness is the first step toward battling cancer. When you’re armed with the right information, you’ll be in better control of your health and be able to contribute in some small measure to saving lives.