World Cancer Day is organised every 4 February and led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). It serves as a catalyst to enhance awareness and understanding of cancer, while also advocating for proactive measures to prevent, detect and treat this disease. The event has evolved into one of the most widely celebrated health awareness days worldwide.

The current World Cancer Day theme is 'Close the care gap', now in its third and final year. This campaign focuses on addressing issues of equity in cancer care, rallying individuals, organisations, and governments alike to address the disparities that hinder access to essential cancer services for many people, due to age, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic situation or geographical location. Even when these services are available, many individuals encounter barriers in obtaining the care they require.

In 2024, the primary objective is to engage world leaders and ask them to adopt strategies aimed at rectifying inequities and allocate resources to ensure that no one dies from a preventable and treatable cancer.

Key Highlights for World Cancer Day 2024

Global Call to Action: Health ministers across the globe will receive a resounding call to action, drawing their attention to specific measures they can implement to reduce common barriers to cancer care in their respective countries.
World Cancer Day Equity Report: This comprehensive report will delineate recommended actions and provide local insights from current and former UICC Board Members, offering perspectives on inequities in cancer care across regions including Europe, Southeast Asia, Western Pacific, Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Global Awareness Activities: Hundreds of events will take place globally, generating support for more equitable cancer care.
Landmarks Illuminated: Iconic landmarks around the world will be bathed in the colours of World Cancer Day – orange and blue.

Available Resources for Download

Press materials, including factsheets on World Cancer Day and the Close the Care Gap campaign, the global cancer context, antimicrobial resistance, and commercial determinants of health such as tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods, which contribute to nearly half of all cancer deaths.
A wide range of branded materials, including a toolkit, customisable poster generator, how-to guides, infographics, and factsheets, will be available for individuals and organisations to personalise and utilise for raising awareness and promoting their activities connected to World Cancer Day.
Social media graphics and video resources.

Last year's World Cancer Day campaign witnessed over 850 activities and events taking place in more than 100 countries. Notably, 125 iconic landmarks worldwide were illuminated in support, and more than 60 governments marked the occasion. The hashtag #WorldCancerDay trended globally on Twitter throughout the day. Over 20,000 press mentions and more than 430,000 social media posts were shared, including by prominent figures from government and the entertainment industry. Additionally, more than 95,000 campaign materials were downloaded from the website, with 11,500 Instagram filters in use, and hundreds of individuals participated in the World Cancer Day 5k Challenge.

cancer, world cancer day

Tag Feed: cancer

Physical activity promotion initiatives around the world show that healthier cities are possible

31st October 2023

To mark World Cities Day, held annually on October 31, we look to Bogota, Dhaka, Shanghai and Kigali to see what they can teach us about healthy city living.
Civil society and government join forces to accelerate cancer care for women in Rwanda

17th August 2023

Rwanda - a regional leader in Universal Health Coverage - is helping women to detect and treat breast and cervical cancer earlier as part of government and civil society partnership to lower rates of undetected cancer.
Bridging the cancer care gap for women in Rwanda

09th May 2023

A Rwanda NCD Alliance initiative in close collaboration with public health sector saves lives by reaching out to women living with breast and cervical cancers earlier and better.
A call to integrate chronic diseases in pandemic preparedness and response

18th October 2022

"NCDs must no longer be seen as an afterthought to pandemic preparedness and response – but as a fundamental component of resilience, equity, and economic stability. These two agendas need to be linked", Anne Lise Ryel, NCDA President.
Mobilising private investments to address the NCD funding gap

08th September 2022

This brief specifically seeks to unpack solutions to accelerate private investments for NCD financing as one of the multiple pathways to increase this source of funding for NCDs.