World Cancer Day (WCD) is held annually on 4 February. The day is a global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). The philosophy behind the day is that by raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, we are all working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equitable for all - no matter who you are or where you live.
2023 will be the second year of the WCD theme: Closing the Care Gap, a theme that is strongly aligned to the VCCC Alliance’s principles, overarching strategy and the work being undertaken through our dedicated Equity programs.
Marking World Cancer Day 2023
A special Monday Lunch Live presentation, Monday 6 February 2023
Each year the VCCC Alliance Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee determines our focus for this important day. For 2023, our hot topic will be: Understanding to overcome – barriers to equal cancer care in 2023.
Equity is everyone’s business. What does equity in cancer mean and why does it matter for patients, for cancer research, clinicians and the community?
Inequity in cancer care has many guises: gender norms and discrimination; barriers for minority populations; poverty and socioeconomic status, and more.
Hosted by the Deputy Chair of the VCCC Alliance, Professor Sanchia Aranda AM, the event will kick off with a keynote 'Data Talks: systemic racism and how it affects cancer care' delivered by Dr Kalinda Griffiths, VCCC Alliance Research and Education Lead, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
From there a panel of experts will broaden the discussion to an honest and insightful appraisal of the other complex barriers to achieving equity in cancer care - why it matters and what we need to change in order to do better for all Victorians.
Panellists include:
- Abe Ropitini, Executive Director of Population Health, VACCHO
- Jo Cockwill, consumer, Deputy Chair, VCCC Alliance Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee
- Dr Anita Lal, Senior Research Fellow, Victorian Cancer Agency, Deakin Health Economics
- Assoc Prof Gavin Wright, Director of Surgical Oncology St Vincent’s Hospital, VCCC Alliance Research & Education Lead, Lung Cancer
- Prof Jennifer Philip, Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Melbourne
This promises to be a robust and gutsy conversation, laying out the evidence and highlighting the things you can do every day to address inequity in your work.
Join us for World Cancer Day 2023 to find out how you can be part of positive change, for everyone’s sake.
