We Need to Talk About Cancer IAEA Commemorates World Cancer Day

3February 2014

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We Need to Talk About Cancer

IAEA Commemorates World Cancer Day

The IAEA will be hosting a high-level panel discussion focusing on issues related to diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Story Resources

• Videos: World Cancer Day 2014 - Statement by Kwaku Aning, 4 February 2014
• Cancer Control - IAEA's Contribution, 9 January 2014
• Photo Gallery: World Cancer Day 2014 - Debunk the Myths, 4 February 2014
• Photo Essay: Coping with Cancer - Viet Nam's Story, 3 February 2014
• IAEA Talk: Facilitating Affordable Cancer Care, Podcast [.mp3]
• A Regular Day at "K Hospital" in Hanoi, 3 February 2014
• PACT - Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy
• Better Human Health - Making a Difference with Nuclear Technology
• Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT)
• In Focus: Cancer Care and Control
• Listen to this story

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be convening a midday event on 4 February 2014 at its headquarters to mark World Cancer Day. Debunk the Myths, the theme of this year's World Cancer Day, aims to encourage greater public discussion of some of the pervasive myths surrounding cancer - that we don't need to talk about it, that there are no symptoms of cancer, that there's nothing we can do about it, or that people don't have the right to cancer care.
The IAEA event, a panel discussion featuring high-level participants from Australia, Costa Rica, Sudan and the United Kingdom, reaffirms the IAEA's commitment to helping Member States combat cancer, and seeks to raise awareness of the cancer related activities the IAEA carries out through technical cooperation projects and coordinated research activities, in partnership with a range of lead organizations in the cancer field.
At the moment, the IAEA is supporting more than 130 technical cooperation projects in cancer diagnosis, management and treatment. IAEA support is helping countries to establish oncology and radiotherapy centres, and is facilitating extensive training for medical and technical staff. The IAEA Programme for Cancer Therapy (PACT) works in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Union for International Cancer Control, to help ensure that radiotherapy investments are integrated into a sustainable and comprehensive cancer control approach.
In addition, the IAEA hosts a specialized website, the Human Health Campus, which provides online resources for health professionals. It contains up-to-date material and interactive learning tools on radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, medical physics and nutrition. IAEA-supported coordinated research projects are also supporting cancer research in countries around the world.
Last but not least, the IAEA stresses the importance of the highest level of radiation safety in Member States. To this end, radiotherapy equipment for cancer treatment can only be provided if Member States have a functional national infrastructure for radiation safety, with a strong regulatory and legal system at its core. Here the IAEA also offers essential support to Member States.
The participants in the high-level panel are H.E. Ms. Ana Teresa Dengo, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica; Dr. Hania Morsi Fadl, Founder and Chairman of Khartoum Breast Cancer Centre, Sudan; Professor Ian Olver, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Council, Australia; and Dr. James F. Cleary, Associate Professor of Medicine, from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, United States. The panel will be moderated by Ms. Julie Torode, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the Organization responsible for World Cancer Day.

IAEA Media Advisories

Media Advisory 2014/02

World Cancer Day: Learn How IAEA Assists Member States in Fight Against Cancer

28 January 2014 | Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February 2014, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is inviting journalists to learn about the Agency's cancer-related work during an informal, on-the-record discussion hosted by Kwaku Aning, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation. The event is set to start at 11:00 on Friday, 31 January 2014 in room MOE75 of the Vienna International Centre's M-Building.
Journalists are also invited to the IAEA event to mark World Cancer Day, to be held from 12:00 to 13:30 on Tuesday, 4 February 2014, on the ground floor foyer of the Vienna International Centre's M-Building. The event will feature a panel discussion with international experts from IAEA Member States, cancer-related partners and organizations and will be opened by Deputy Director General Aning. A programme is available here.
The IAEA is a key actor in efforts to tackle cancer in developing countries. The Agency works with its Member States to improve access to radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, and partners with organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen national cancer control programmes.
According to the WHO, seventy percent of cancer deaths now occur in developing countries, where resources to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease are often limited. During the last three decades, the IAEA has delivered more than US $260 million of cancer-related assistance to developing countries, including equipment and training.
Accreditation:
Journalists with permanent accreditation to the VIC need no further credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at UNIS Vienna.
All others must seek accreditation by contacting the IAEA Press Office; tel: [+43-1] 2600-21279.
You are required to bring a valid press ID card.