World Cancer Day 2024

People across the globe will unite on World Cancer Day, 4 February, as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.

This year’s theme, ‘Close the Care Gap’, is all about calling on leaders to eliminate health inequities to ensure that everyone has access to quality health services when, where and how they need them.

Move More ABC is a physical activity project that supports people living with and beyond cancer to become and remain active, and to enjoy an improved quality of life as a result.

The programme lead, Nuala McVeigh, is trained in Level 4 Exercise & Cancer Rehabilitation and supports people living with cancer to initiate and sustain an active lifestyle. Being active helps reduce the consequences of cancer treatment and can also help reduce the spread and progression of cancer.

Nuala shares some advice on actions we can all take to reduce the impact of cancer.

• Know your body – be aware of changes and do regular checks on areas like moles, breasts or testicles. Be familiar with general changes in your body such as lumps, pain, bleeding and severe tiredness, loss of appetite, bowel changes and problems with speech or breathing. If something doesn’t feel or look right, get it checked out by a professional.
• Continue to talk about cancer, which is one of our greatest challenges in history. We need to continue to educate people about the risk factors that lead to many cancers, and high on the list are smoking and alcohol.
• Take preventative measures – we all have a responsibility to look after our health. Reduce alcohol intake, avoid smoking, follow a healthy balanced diet and exercise are just some of the things we can do to help ourselves.
• Keep up-to-date with screening appointments – early diagnosis and treatment can have a massive impact on recovery and survival.

Move More ABC is funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and supported by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.