As the organizer of World Cancer Day on February 4, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is mobilizing organizations and individuals worldwide to ensure that the voices of people affected by cancer are heard and drive a new vision of cancer care.
Now in its second year, the World Cancer Day campaign ‘United by Unique’ is shifting from awareness to reflection and local action. UICC is asking the global cancer community—people with cancer, caregivers, organizations, and health-care workers—to show how people-centered care can become a reality in all settings, so that the care people receive is not only medically effective but also accessible, inclusive, and responsive to their needs.
It emphasizes how people-centered care recognizes the person behind the diagnosis: their values, cultural background, social context, individual needs, and preferences when it comes to care.
“The experiences of people affected by cancer—whether as a person living with cancer, a caregiver, a loved one, or a health worker—offer insight into the human side of care. They represent an invaluable and critical source of knowledge that must inform cancer policies and services, alongside clinical evidence,” said Cary Adams, Chief Executive Officer of UICC.
The stories of people affected by cancer reveal both what is often lacking—such as clear communication, continuity of care, psychosocial support, and cultural sensitivity—and what people most value when care is centered around them: support that sustains their wellbeing, protects their dignity, and meets them as individuals, not just patients.
Some examples from over 600 stories shared on the World Cancer Day website:
Affordability: Three-year-old Shahzeb began treatment for blood cancer in Lahore, Pakistan, but after months his family could no longer afford accommodation in the city and returned home; he died soon after. Addressing a similar situation in its country, Cancer Warriors Philippines mobilized parents and civil society to pass the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, which now recognizes children with cancer and their families as persons with disabilities, entitling them to financial support not only for medicines and hospitalization, but also travel, accommodation, and meals.
Access: In rural Malaysia, Karen describes caring for a man with advanced cancer who stopped treatment because the hospital was hours away, showing how distance and isolation can leave patients without the care they need. Facing a similar challenge in South Africa, CANSA launched the Prostate Cancer Patient Navigation Project to offer men individualized guidance from prevention and screening to treatment and supportive care.
Care beyond medical therapy: A young mother in Brazil with advanced tongue cancer feared she would no longer be able to communicate with her children or share family meals as she lost much of her ability to speak and eat. Camila, her speech therapist, supported her rehabilitation by designing tailored exercises, introducing alternative communication methods, and gradually reintroducing foods, all as part of a multidisciplinary care approach provided by the Brazilian health system.
The meaningful engagement of people who have experienced cancer: After Barbara Nassar’s diagnosis with metastatic breast cancer, she and her husband Hani travelled across Lebanon to raise awareness about the lack of support for adults with cancer. They founded an association that has become a national voice for adults with cancer in Lebanon: redistributing medicines, successfully advocating for policy change at the national level, and helping launch the country’s first supportive care center offering free psychological, nutritional, and wellness services.
“People-centered care is not theoretical. It is already being practiced in many parts of the world with real benefits to people’s lives in terms of outcomes and quality of life. Systems that respond to people’s real needs deliver better outcomes, use resources more effectively, and strengthen trust. These examples must become the standard, not the exception, and this requires political will,” commented Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of UICC and Secretary-General of the Swedish Cancer Society.
In 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million lives lost to cancer; about one in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime.
The 3-year World Cancer Day campaign #UnitedbyUnique recognizes that each person’s experience with cancer will be unique, and everyone has unique needs, unique perspectives, and a unique story to tell. Yet people touched by cancer are united in a shared ambition to improve the effectiveness of cancer care, and see people being treated more successfully with better quality of life. The campaign is designed to support individuals everywhere affected by cancer as well as UICC’s members, partners, and organizations working to improve cancer policies across the globe.
