International Childhood Cancer Day 2017

The International Childhood Cancer Day is observed on February 15th to raise awareness about childhood cancer and provide support for children.

Highlights:

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed on February 15th every year.
The ICCD annual event recognizes care for children with cancer globally.
The ultimate goal of ICCD involves providing better access to care for children and adolescents with cancer everywhere.

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed on February 15th every year to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and to provide support for children and teens with cancer, survivors and their families.

More than 150,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to the World Health Organization. And 80% of these children are from low or middle-income countries who have only 10-30% chances of cure.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression 2016
4th June, International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, calls for an end to child abuse and promotion of the rights of children.

‘International childhood cancer day recognizes contributions from around the world and raises awareness about children with cancer globally.’

The day is mainly honored to increase the appreciation and understanding of issues and challenges related to childhood cancer which may impact children or adolescents with cancer, survivors and their families as a whole.

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD)

The Childhood Cancer International (CCI) founded in 1994, is the largest patient support organization for childhood cancer. The International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is an annual event created by the CCI. It has a global network of 183 grassroots with a national network of parent organizations in 93 countries, extending across five continents.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Exhibition Kicks Off in Taj Mahal
Nearly 250 cancer-affected children are likely to visit from Lucknow, Allahabad and Kanpur, besides 1200 from Delhi, Noida and other parts of the country.

The day was first launched in 2002 and continues to provide support from global networks and leading institutions which include

SIOP (International Society of Pediatric Oncology, with 1500 plus members)
SIOP Europe (European Society of Pediatric Oncologists)
UICC (Union for International Cancer Control with 770 member organizations in 155 countries)
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer)

This year, it is also found to have tie-ups with international child-focused organizations, ICPCN (International Children’s Palliative Care Network) and CLAN (Caring and Living Among Neighbors).

Showing Support for International Childhood Cancer Day

Golden Taj: The Symbol for Awareness For Childhood Cancer
Lack of awareness and delayed cancer diagnosis in developing countries is the major cause of higher mortality rate of children than in developed countries.

By showing support to International Childhood Cancer Day, adolescents and children can live life to the fullest and can reach their potentials.

Kids with cancer often face a difficult situation at the age of supposed innocence, enjoyment and pure joy.

Male Childhood Cancer Survivors More Prone to Infertility Than Females
Awareness is needed for the risk of loss of fertility in male cancer patients treated with alkylating drugs and for pretreatment referral to fertility services.

Children and their family should not go through the cancer pain and stress alone; therefore together we can make a difference and create a change for the betterment of the life of children and adolescents with cancer, the survivors and families.

Children are our future and the ultimate goal of the International Childhood Cancer Day is to provide ‘better access to care for children and adolescents with cancer everywhere.’

Key Messages - ICCD 2017

Thousands of children are denied the right to have a safe, timely and quality childhood cancer care. It is necessary to make their voices heard.
Let’s work together to make childhood cancer a priority as it is a neglected and forgotten non-communicable disease.
Providing care for children with cancer is a smart investment for the future.
Childhood cancer treatment may push families into poverty. By working together we can assist families of children/adolescents with cancer.
Engage and involve families and parents of kids with cancers as they are an untapped valuable resource.
Speak out and stand up against any form of discrimination against childhood cancer survivors, as they are unique and priceless parts of our future.

Childhood Cancer

Childhood cancer is one of the leading cause of death among children in the United States.
The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is 6 years.
Know About Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer that affects children.
One out of five children in the United States diagnosed with cancer may not survive.
Around 40,000 children undergo treatment for cancer every year.
About 60% of childhood cancer survivors suffer late-effects like infertility, heart failure and secondary cancers.

References:

All About ICCD - (http://www.internationalchildhoodcancerday.org/Act-Now.html)
ICCD 2017 Key Messages - (http://www.internationalchildhoodcancerday.org/About.html)
International Childhood Cancer Day: 15 February 2016 - (http://www.who.int/cancer/iccd_2016/en/)
Childhood Cancer Facts: 10 Things You Should Know - (https://www.stbaldricks.org/blog/post/childhood-cancer-facts-10-things-you-should-know/)
Childhood Cancer Statistics – Graphs and Infographics - (https://curesearch.org/Childhood-Cancer-Statistics)

Source-Medindia