Today Is "World Cancer Day," Join by Walking Together

[Photo by International Cancer Federation]

[Asia Economy, Lee Chunhee] February 4 is World Cancer Day. First designated at the World Cancer Summit held in Paris, France in 2000, the International Cancer Federation (UICC) has organized annual campaigns under different themes since 2005 to raise awareness about cancer and contribute to the treatment of cancer patients worldwide.

This year, the theme selected by the International Cancer Federation is "Close the Care Gap." The goal is to raise awareness about disparities in cancer care globally and to ensure that everyone can access cancer treatment regardless of nationality, race, age, or income. For example, in the United States, the five-year survival rate for cervical cancer is 71% for white patients but only 58% for Black patients. The survival rate for childhood cancer reaches 80% in high-income countries but remains at about 20% in low-income countries, illustrating that disparities in cancer care persist worldwide.

Additionally, to engage the public, this year's main campaign includes initiatives such as the "5K Challenge." Participants are encouraged to enjoy approximately 5 kilometers of physical activity-such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming-and share proof of their participation on various social media platforms to raise awareness about the campaign.

Specifically, participants can use fitness tracking applications such as Strava or Samsung Health to record about 5 kilometers of exercise, then post their workout records and photos on social media, tag five friends, and include the hashtags #WorldCancerDay, #CloseTheCareGap, and #5KChallenge.

Earlier, on February 2, the National Cancer Center, the only UICC partner institution in Korea, also joined the campaign by hosting the "5K Walk Event for World Cancer Day with the National Cancer Center and Local Community" at Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The event was attended by Sim Sangjung, a member of the Justice Party (Goyang City Gap), Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, Kim Byungseok, President of the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Kim Jingoo, Director of Myongji Hospital, Kim Wongil, CEO of Byner, as well as 100 cancer survivors and prominent figures from the political and business sectors, all commemorating World Cancer Day.