When is World Cancer Day?
World Cancer Day is February 4 each year. On this day, people around the world advocate for cancer prevention, raise awareness and bring attention to breakthrough treatments — all with the intention of helping us get closer to cures and reducing cancer deaths.
Coincidentally, February 4 is also the anniversary of the founding of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Learn more about our Founder's Day.
St. Jude patient McClain with her mom
The importance of World Cancer Day
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death globally. In 2020, cancer accounted for nearly one in six deaths worldwide.
At St. Jude, we know that cancer doesn't discriminate, and its impact affects patients, their families and entire communities. An estimated 400,000 children around the world develop cancer each year, only half of whom are ever diagnosed.
When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer. Together, we can save more lives.
Ways to support World Cancer Day
You can make a difference on World Cancer Day in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions for how to get involved.
Educate yourself and spread awareness
Educating people about cancer is an essential part of World Cancer Day, and it can start with self-education. You may want to learn about types of cancer, risk factors, cancer prevention or other cancer-related topics.
When doing your research, consider your sources carefully and use primary sources, such as reputable media outlets and scientific articles. If you feel comfortable, you may want to:
- Post about World Cancer Day on social media, and alert your network to cancer services and resources.
- Discuss your personal experience if cancer has affected your life.
- Share opportunities to contribute to organizations like St. Jude with donations, fundraising efforts and volunteering.
- If loved ones have been affected by cancer, ask them what support they need to see if you can help.
Support cancer research
Research, like the kind done at St. Jude, is essential in developing new treatments and making scientific breakthroughs available to cancer patients. To support research, you can:
- Give to an organization like St. Jude to help fund research and treatment.
- Raise awareness of new and emerging cancer treatments and their availability.
- Donate blood, tissue or other samples to cancer research.
Support people affected by cancer
Nearly everyone knows someone affected by cancer. On World Cancer Day, show compassion to cancer patients and their loved ones by offering your support.
If you'd like to brighten the day of a St. Jude patient, you can send an e-card with an encouraging note.
Why support the global impact of St. Jude research?
When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the United States.
However, this does not hold true worldwide. In many countries, the statistic is reversed: only 1 out of 5 children diagnosed with cancer will survive. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer, no matter where they live.
St. Jude made the initial investment of $100 million in 2018 to help save more children globally through St. Jude Global. The mission of St. Jude Global is to improve the survival rates of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases worldwide through the sharing of knowledge, technology and organizational skills, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
When you give to St. Jude, you're helping children everywhere. Together, we can save more lives.
St. Jude patient Colton
Join us for World Cancer Day 2024
St. Jude cares for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs or ability to pay. Our patients receive the customized care they need to treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, no matter what barriers they may face.
This World Cancer Day, let's work to make a world without childhood cancer a reality.
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