Belize observes World Cancer Day 2010

Laura Longsworth

It is the cause of more than twelve percent of deaths in Belize each year and around the globe, the annual death toll is in the millions. The killer is cancer and today it is in the spotlight as World Cancer Day is observed internationally. On February fourth each year, countries, including Belize, hold activities to encourage the prevention, detection, and treatment of the illness. For 2010 the theme is Cancer Can Be Prevented too and the campaign is focused on ways to mitigate the risks of getting cancer. Locally, the Belize Cancer Society took their theme a step further to include controlling the disease. News Five Spoke to the cancer society president, Laura Longsworth, to find out what is being done in recognition of World Cancer Day.

Laura Longsworth, President, Belize Cancer Society

“We are using this day to plan and to brainstorm our calendar of events and activities for the year. We have some ongoing activities, we have some ongoing programs. But we are using this opportunity not only to focus on the theme of World Cancer Day, which is Cancer Can Be Prevented Too, but also we’re using it to launch our theme for the year, which is Cancer Can Be Prevented and Controlled; Don’t be Afraid, Get The Facts. And the reason for that is that we know that people are afraid to go to the doctor but there are also some very cost effective, empowering things that we can do in preventing cancer. People would say what are you talking about? We do all those things and we still get cancer. Yes, there are lots of little things we can do to reduce the risk of getting cancer. And so this we have some funds from the Ride Across Belize with Social Security, so we’re very happy that we can increase the visibility of the society in terms of Cancer awareness campaigns, education and lifestyle changes that the community can adopt. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Health, from the Public Health Records, they say there are about forty-three new cases per year but that’s underreporting because according to World Health, that number for the size of our population, there should be at least a hundred plus persons, new cases.”