Thursday, February 04, 2010

World Cancer Day


World Cancer Day 2010, led by UICC (International Union Against Cancer), its members and with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), will raise awareness of cancer prevention.

Each year, over 12 million people receive a cancer diagnosis and 7.6 million die of the disease.

The good news is that approximately 40% of cancers are potentially preventable.

Today, UICC launched the campaign "Cancer can be prevented too", focusing on how the risk of developing cancer can significantly be reduced through simple measures:

  • Stop tobacco use and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Avoid excessive sun exposure
  • Maintain a healthy weight, through eating healthily and exercising regularly
  • Protect against cancer-causing infections

According to Love Hope Strength, cancer causes more deaths worldwide than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

Many cancer survivors come to the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah each year to participate in our programs. Recently, we welcomed back a group with the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This group of young cancer survivors had all had some kind of cancer that resulted in a physical disability. Being a teenager is hard enough! Being a teenager who has had to fight cancer and then have your physical abilities changed by it face an even tougher road. Through our programs, these teens can find confidence by getting out with their peers and accomplishing things they never would have dreamed. Check out their video and the slideshow of their 2010 visit at the bottom of this post.

This week we have welcomed a local group called Un-Limb-ited. These local teens have also battled cancer and other illnesses that have taken away limbs, but not hope nor life! We'll post some of their photos and videos soon.

In two weeks we will welcome back another great group of youth battling cancer. One Step at a Time is based in Chicago and brings teens from around the Midwest to Park City each year for a chance to escape some misguided peer pressure and build new friendships. New friends and new hobbies, like adaptive skiing and snowboarding, can help teens to put their energy toward positive things. There is no room for pessimism on the Greatest Snow on Earth!

If you know someone who has a physical disability because of cancer, please let them know that they, too, are welcome at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah. Here, we help people everyday to discover their abilities.



2010 MD Anderson Ski Trip Slide Show from National Ability Center on Vimeo.

MD Anderson's 2010 trip to ski at Park City Mountain Resort with the National Ability Center.

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