Understanding and recognizing the inequities in cancer care around the globe underpins the 2022-24 World Cancer Day theme to Close the Care Gap. The needs are urgent, and the opportunity exists to make progress toward equitable cancer care for all. We must listen to the perspectives of people living with cancer and let those lived experiences guide our thoughts and actions. This is why for World Cancer Day 2022, our global team members and patients shared their ideas on how to #AmplifyOurVoice, using a megaphone to radiate their message to the world.
World Cancer Day, celebrated on February 4, is a global initiative that aims to raise awareness about cancer education, care, and prevention. The initiative is led by our friends at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a member-based organization whose mission is to reduce the global cancer burden and promote equity.
Our patient community provided inspiring responses to the question what do you want to say to the world about yourself?
How can we amplify the voices of our patients? Our team members have some amazing ideas:
Collective progress occurs when we start at the individual level – each of us can make a difference by amplifying our voice to bring visibility to the barriers that exist in accessing cancer care. There is always something new we can do to advocate for our patients and take action for increased access to cancer care globally:
Andrielle Yost is a Senior Program Manager at The Max Foundation. In addition to advancing global health equity, Andie is passionate about gardening, hiking, and her quest to watch all documentaries that exist.
Across our global team, cultural context shapes how we connect and show up for patients every day. From understanding stigma to honoring the role of family and community, our colleagues bring deep local insight that makes care more human and relevant. For Cultural Diversity Day, we asked regional team members who work directly with the….
They’re patients, physicians, pharmacists, police officers, caregivers, and cancer care advocates stepping up to help vulnerable patients continue to have access to treatment throughout the global pandemic closures.
Shalet Souza is a 42-year-old nun at the Institute of Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, in Mangalore, India. She currently takes care of aspiring nuns and lives a life devoted to learning and supporting others, including the poor and needy in her region. At 29, Shalet sought treatment for frequent fevers, which would….
