WORLD CANCER DAY took place this week on 4 February, the theme was UNIQUE BY UNIQUE.

Knoweldge is Power, almost half of all cancer cases can be prevented by improving individual behaviours and implementing supporting policies. This means there are specific actions we can take to help avoid cancer and there are health policies that can help create environments that make those individual choices easier and more achievable! Backed by research and written by experts specifically for the Latin American and Caribbean context, PAHO (The Pan American Health Organization) and IARC (The International Agency for Research on Cancer) have now released 17 individual actions and 17 policy recommendations in the LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN CODE AGAINST CANCER.

Photo: Shutterstock/Westock Productions

PAHO:  The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to prioritize access to essential cancer medicines, supplies, and equipment. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the Americas region, claiming the lives of more than 1.4 million people and resulting in more than 4 million new cases annually.

UICC: Cancer is more than just a medical diagnosis — it’s a deeply personal matter. 

Behind every diagnosis lies a unique human story - stories of grief, pain, healing, resilience, love and more. That’s why a people-centred approach to cancer care that fully integrates each individual’s unique needs, with compassion and empathy, leads to the best health outcomes. 

The campaign will explore different dimensions of people-centred cancer care and new ways of making a difference. It will offer a three- year journey from raising awareness to taking action.

CIBC stakeholders at the 2024 Walk for the Cure handover ceremony

Photo: Antigua Observer website

Antigua Observer: Local bank, CIBC Caribbean celebrated a milestone achievement on World Cancer Day, announcing a record-breaking EC$105,000 donation from their 2024 Walk for the Cure campaign. The announcement came during a special ceremony, yesterday, that brought together cancer survivors, healthcare providers, and community partners.

Photo: Shutterstock

Barbados Today: We, the undersigned youth of Barbados, are deeply disappointed by the continued and recent promotional activity in schools by unhealthy food companies. One of these recent events was supposed to expose children to reading but also used the opportunity to promote highly sugared popsicles. This represents a blatant disregard for the current School Nutrition Policy and for the health and well-being of our nation’s children. 

What purpose does a reading tour serve when the very products being promoted – laden with red dyes and excessive sugar – compromise children’s ability to focus and learn? How can we expect our students to excel when their bodies are fueled primarily with ultra-processed foods which have no significant nutritional value. In fact, health experts around the world are currently sounding an alarm about the significant health harms of ultra-processed products, including the onslaught of obesity, heart disease, hypertension and types of cancers.

Minister of Health and Wellness for Jamaica, Dr Christopher Tufton

Photo: Jamaica Observer website

Jamaica Observer: Jamaica’s premature death rates (persons dying before their 75th birthday) as a result of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) increased from 17 per cent in 2009 to 21 per cent in 2020. Over this period, cardiovascular diseases and cancers contributed the highest share of potential years of life lost, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton has stated.

HCC: The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) is seeking a suitably qualified part-time Operations Manager.

This is a part-time (20 hrs) remote position, for an individual based in a CARICOM country.

GIS: In Barbados, 70% of the population has at least one non-communicable disease (NCD). These lifestyle diseases put significant pressure on Barbadian society's healthcare system and other areas.

The Barbados government is implementing measures to decrease these figures through the National Non-Communicable Diseases Commission. “The Commission recommends relevant research; promote collaborations and partnerships; monitor regional and international trends; facilitate the commissioning of audits/evaluation of NCD programs; recommends to the Minister of Health a framework that encourages and promotes behaviour change to prevent NCDs.”

Resolve to Save Lives: Packaged foods significantly contribute to global sodium intake, a major risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. This webinar, hosted by Resolve to Save Lives, will bring together experts and stakeholders to explore the critical role of data in shaping policies that address sodium reduction in packaged foods. Join us to gain actionable insights, explore tools like the Global Nutrition Database, and learn more about existing and possible collaborations to address global sodium reduction challenges.

Photo: Barbados Today website

Barbados Today:  The nutritional health and dietary habits of children ages six to 11 are the focus of a Childhood Nutrition Surveillance Study being conducted by the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre and The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, in collaboration with the Shaw Centre for Paediatric Excellence. 

All eligible children and their parents or guardians are invited to participate in the study, which will involve physical measurements – for example, height, weight, blood pressure and waist measurements – and a brief questionnaire. The study will run until June 2025.

Global Mental Health Action Network: The UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health in September 2025 marks a pivotal moment to prioritise mental health on the global stage. Mental health is now a central focus of a UN HLM agenda providing a unique opportunity to drive transformative commitments and accelerate progress.

WHO: 24 – 25 April 2025 Geneva, Switzerland. The Second General Meeting of the Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs (GCM/NCD) will convene Civil Society Actors and partners to put forward recommendations on accelerating multisectoral and multistakeholder responses to NCDs and mental health conditions. The event marks one of several major milestones on the road to 2025 and the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on NCDs (HLM4).

Healthy Caribbean Coalition and the Caribbean Cancer Alliance Message for World Cancer Day 2016 More from a cross the region and beyond in recognition of World Cancer Day