February 4th is a special day for cancer patients, survivors, and their families. Each year on this date, the world pauses in recognition of World Cancer Day, and in consideration of the growing burden which the disease represents to all people, in both developed and developing countries. February 4th is also a special day for the IAEA, which supports the global campaign against the cancer epidemic through its Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT).
To mark this year’s World Cancer Day, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano welcomed, Her Excellency, Roman Tesfay, the First Lady of Ethiopia, and a panel of distinguished speakers to the Agency’s headquarters in Vienna, where a roundtable discussion took place to mark the day and raise awareness of the contribution of the IAEA and partners to the fight against cancer. We spoke with some of the panellists, to better understand the challenges surrounding the fight against the global cancer epidemic, namely Tezer Kutluk, President, Union for International Cancer Control; May Abdel-Wahab, Director, IAEA Division of Human Health; Doyin Oluwole, Executive Director, Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon; and Kennedy Lishimpi, Executive Director, Cancer Diseases Hospital, Zambia.
For readers who were unable to attend this year’s event, the following videos should provide a glimpse of the subjects explored during the IAEA’s World Cancer Day observance.
