Vigilance, Education the Focus of World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day drives awareness about the realities of cancer. Whether it is you, a family member, a friend or acquaintance, chances are you know someone who has been affected by cancer. This disease is caused by the uncontrolled spread of abnormal cells in the body, some of which cause solid tumors. More than 100 types of cancer can affect several parts of the body, and when it comes to the top four most common cancers (colon, lung, breast and prostate), more than 1.6 million new cases were diagnosed in 2015, according to the American Cancer Society. While some determining external factors like smoking can be prevented, others like genetics cannot.
As researchers continue to learn more about cancer, the public should aim to learn more as well. February 4th is World Cancer Day. This day is set aside to help raise awareness through detection and prevention. Every day, doctors and other medical professionals help cancer patients improve their health, and guide others to create a healthy lifestyle which can help prevent many cancers.
Nurses and medical assistants possess the unique professional skills and compassion needed to work with cancer patients – and schools like Lincoln Tech provide hands-on training that can lead to these rewarding, life-changing careers. Although cancer is an increasingly common disease, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding it. These medical professionals make it their duty to educate the public about prevention, and they assist with care when prevention has failed.
You don't need to be a medical professional, however, to lend a helping hand. Learn other ways you can help spread the word through the World Cancer Day website.