PRESS RELEASE
MEPs work with cancer organisations to mark World Cancer Day in the European Parliament
02 February 2011
Hosting MEP Glenis Willmott
EMBARGO: 19.00h, 02/01/11
What is World Cancer Day?
All over the world on the 4th of February every year, cancer organisations raise awareness for a disease that causes millions of deaths every year, many of which could have been prevented. The movement is organised by The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). This year, for the first time, World Cancer Day is being marked by MEPs in the European Parliament in order to raise awareness about cancer and in particular efforts across
More than ever before, there is a need for concerted and coordinated prevention efforts to overcome cancer!
Hosted by MEP Glenis Willmott, three NGOs (ECL, UICC and ECCO) dedicated to fighting cancer comes together in an event to mark World Cancer Day on the 02 February, two days before the official day. MEP Glenis Willmott opens the event to introduce the speakers and highlight the importance of preventing a disease that an estimated 7.6 million people die from every year. “One third of these deaths could have been prevented had there been greater awareness about healthy lifestyles, early detection and political will to allocate resources to preventive measures.”
Professor Tezer Kutluk, President of ECL and UICC’s World Cancer Day Spokesperson, emphasises the importance of raising awareness about cancer prevention via “engaging, informing, and prompting action”.
MEP Pavel Poc, the MEPs Against Cancer (MAC) interest group ambassador for colorectal cancer, and leader on the Written Declaration on fighting colorectal cancer in the European Union, has been key in raising awareness and calling for action in Europe. "There are 200 000 deaths in the EU every year caused by colorectal cancer. Many of the cases could be prevented," says the MEP. Poc’s declaration, that was adopted by the European Parliament last November, calls on the Commission and Member States to “support awareness campaigns...on lifestyle factors which can cause CRC” and for “screening-related research and knowledge (to be made) a priority in FP7 and the EU Health Programme.”
In his first European Parliament appearance since becoming head of Health Information in DG SANCO, Stefan Schreck continues with the theme of early detection and screening by informing participants about the European Colorectal Screening Guidelines that will be officially published on the following day. The guidelines are the first of their kind in
These presentations set the scene for an upcoming event by MAC to discuss the Guidelines and build on political will in the European Parliament and member states.
Drawing attention to healthy lifestyles, MEP Glenis Willmott leads into an introduction to the European Week Against Cancer by Prof Tezer Kutluk. The European Week Against Cancer will be re-initiated by the Association of European Cancer Leagues at the end of May 2011, as a main Prevention Work Package action of the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer (EPAAC), with a conference in the European Parliament and activities amongst the cancer leagues across Europe. A key aim of the European Week Against Cancer is to disseminate and raise awareness about the European Code Against Cancer. The Code is currently under review, and Dr Larry von Karsa of the International Agency for Research on Cancer provides an update on the status of the next publication of the Code.
For more information about ECL, MAC, Prevention Work Package of EPAAC or general inquiries please contact ECL: Emma Woodford, Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), 479, chaussée de Louvain, 1030 Brussels, Belgium, Tel.: +32 2 256 2000, or via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Last Updated on Monday, 07 February 2011 21:50
