Advocacy
World Cancer Day 2022 The College is very proud to have supported World Cancer Day 2022 with a particular focus on highlighting inequality in accessing radiation therapy for cancer treatment to close the gap in cancer care. World Cancer Day was born on the 4 February 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris. The Paris Charter aims to promote research, prevent cancer, improve patient services, raise awareness and mobilise the global community to make progress against cancer, and included the adoption of World Cancer Day. The College and Targeting Cancer are fully committed
to supporting the efforts to improve patient care highlighted each year on World Cancer Day. To mark the day this year, Targeting Cancer released a video series with one short video showcased each day for seven consecutive days on the Targeting Cancer social media platforms, commencing 4 February. The series featured Targeting Cancer Campaign Ambassador, Julie McCrossin AM, interviewing radiation oncologists and health workers in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting the 2022 World Cancer Day theme ‘Close the Care Gap’ at the same time as raising awareness of radiation therapy.
“As a long-term supporter of this global initiative, RANZCR is proud to be part of World Cancer Day 2022. RANZCR is committed to improving health outcomes for all, which is very much aligned with the vision of the World Cancer Day initiative.”
The College’s President, Clin A/Prof Sanjay Jeganathan, said: “As a longterm supporter of this global initiative, RANZCR is proud to be part of World Cancer Day 2022. RANZCR is committed to improving health outcomes for all, which is very much aligned with the vision of the World Cancer Day initiative.” “This video series explores the inequity in accessing radiation therapy at home and abroad with meaningful conversations. One in two cancer patients would benefit from radiation therapy at some time during their cancer experience. However, fewer than one in three patients in Australia and New Zealand will actually receive radiation therapy.” Julie McCrossin, herself a head-andneck cancer survivor, said: “Wherever we live in the world, we deserve the best possible chance to survive cancer and that means we need to be able to receive radiation therapy when it benefits us. We can and will close the care gap for radiation therapy because it is essential for the wellbeing of people with cancer.” continued over... Volume 18 No 2 | March 2022
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