International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) 2022

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is celebrated annually on the 15th of February to raise awareness about childhood cancer and improve its management.

Highlights:

Childhood cancer is being recognized as the leading cause of death among non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
Every year on February 15th, International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is celebrated to emphasize the need for early diagnosis of childhood cancer
The day strives to ensure access to the best medical care as a right to every child and adolescent cancer survivors

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed every February 15th to improve early diagnosis and service access against childhood cancer.

Childhood Cancer - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complication & Prevention
Childhood or pediatric cancers occur in children less than 15 years of age. They are rare and differ from adult tumors in their location and behaviour.

‘International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is a global collaborative campaign that is celebrated annually on the 15th of February to raise awareness about childhood cancer and improve its management.’
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Rising Trends of Childhood Cancer

Cancer is growing as an unrecognized threat to childhood — a time of joy and innocence. It costs the life of one child every 3 minutes with more than 400,000 children and adolescents (below the age of 20 years) being diagnosed with cancer.

Although the survival rate is as high as 80% in most high-income countries, it is conflictingly as low as 20% in low- and middle-income countries where 80% of children remain unreported and undiagnosed.

Childhood Cancer Survivors may Face a Higher Suicide Risk
A new study analyzed the risk of suicide among individuals with a history of childhood cancer and found the rate of risk is elevated.

Need for Better Health

Weaker health systems and services that are inaccessible and unaffordable are the focal culprits to these mounting drifts.

The global event is a joint campaign that involves the expression of sustenance for all those young cancer survivors and their families.

Nanoparticles Help Treat Common Childhood Cancer
Using nanoparticles, scientists have developed a new way to deliver treatments directly to neuroblastoma – the most common solid childhood cancer.

Global Theme 2022

The theme for international happening is the continuation (second year) of the three-year campaign for ICCD (2021–2023) — ‘Better Survival’ is achievable #throughyourhands “Right care at the right time by the right team.”

The theme aims to celebrate the above milestone on the 15th of February in collaboration with CCI (Childhood Cancer International — largest patient support organization for childhood cancer).

Folic Acid may Decrease Some Childhood Cancers: Study
The incidence of kidney cancer and a type of brain tumors in children can be reduced by folic acid, reveals study.

Joint Campaign Against Cancer

The campaign invites various collaborative institutes and ICCD Alliance partners like SIOP (International Society of Paediatric Oncology) along with CCI, Lions clubs, and others to pay tribute to the positive impact of the medical team on the lives of young cancer survivors and vice versa.

The three-year campaign for ICCD also aligns its message with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) #cureall campaign with colorfully painted hands as the universal image.

The campaign also involves the distribution of materials and toolkits to inspire and guide healthcare professionals, survivors, patients, parents, and advocates at every level. One might also use awareness hashtags #throughyourhands to support the event on social media.

Facts on Childhood Cancer

Cancer is growing as the leading cause of mortality among children and adolescents globally.
Every year 280,000 children among the age group of 0to 19 years are diagnosed with cancer.
At least 29,000 children and adolescents under the age of 19 years in Latin America and the Caribbean are estimated to be affected by cancer annually with 10,000 facing mortality.
Only 3% of the world’s cancer treatment facilities are available in Africa.
Only 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have the facility of radiotherapy, thereby contributing to poor survival rates.
Childhood cancer impacts most of the years of life lost among individuals which can be changed with proper management.
The GICC (Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer) strives to achieve at least 60% of cancer survival rate by 2030.

Donate a better childhood to someone with the support, assistance, and care in the fight against childhood cancer.

References:

Cancer Awareness Dates - (https://www.cancer.net/research-and-advocacy/cancer-awareness-dates)
International Childhood Cancer Day 2022 - (https://www.paho.org/en/campaigns/international-childhood-cancer-day-2022)
World Cancer Day 2022 - (https://www.afro.who.int/regional-director/speeches-messages/world-cancer-day-2022)
Childhood Cancer International - (https://www.childhoodcancerinternational.org/)
Childhood Cancer - (https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/start-our-global-causes/childhood-cancer)
Every 3 minutes a child dies from cancer. - (https://www.childhoodcancerinternational.org/)

Source-Medindia