April 7, 2023 – As the second-leading cause of death in the world, cancer is one of the few words in the English language that carries enough weight to stop a person in their tracks. It’s the kind of diagnosis that everyone takes seriously, because most of us know someone that has been affected by the burden of cancer. By recognizing and participating in Cancer Control Month, we can honor those who have battled cancer by finding new ways to reduce the burden that a cancer diagnosis causes.
The month of April is recognized as Cancer Control Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness for cancer prevention and treatment through the United States. In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt found that cancer was a deadly enemy that took the lives of nearly 150,000 Americans each year. While the country was fighting abroad during World War II, President Roosevelt decided to start fighting cancer on the home front.
Roosevelt designated the month of April as Cancer Control Month in 1943, calling upon medical professionals, schools, universities, and media to join this movement. From there, he instituted an annual proclamation from the sitting president, calling on all Americans to pay attention to factors that can reduce individual cancer risk. Each year, the month of April is meant to honor the millions of Americans who are currently battling cancer, cancer survivors, as well as those that did not survive their fight with cancer by raising awareness about cancer prevention and the importance of continued research into better treatments.
Despite the long history of Cancer Control Month, millions of Americans are still affected by the burden of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1.9 million people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer in 2022. This is not to say that we’re fighting a losing battle – in fact, a study conducted by The American Cancer Society found that there has been an overall drop in cancer mortality of 33% since 1991.
Read more about Cancer Control Month in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.