International Cancer Day: Noble work of beating cancer

THIS is International Cancer Day, one of the many events designed to raise awareness around various cancers and raise funding for research and support.

This is entirely appropriate as cancer will soon be the world’s most common disease. Ireland’s cancer strategy estimates that current rates will double by 2040 despite improvements in services. This is a consequence of an ageing population and advances made in conquering other diseases.

Today’s global event focusses on the 8.2 milion people who die from cancer every year — almost 10,000 people die because of cancer in Ireland each year. Of that 8.2m — 4m people die prematurely — between the ages of 30 and 69.