Let's join our fight against cancer

World Cancer Day is celebrated on February 4th. It's a day when organizations and people around the world are joining together to raise awareness of cancer and work to make it a global health priority. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. These cells can begin to grow from any part of the body, such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, cervix, prostate, eyes, mouth, and bad, among others. An estimated 9.5 million people worldwide would die of cancer in 2018, or about 26,000 deaths per day due to cancer, and this number is expected to increase.

In Uganda and Uganda, in particular, 80 out of 100 people with cancer die each year. Only 20 diagnosed cancer cases are able to do so. These statistics are alarming! However, these statistics can change if everyone – you and I – is involved in the fight against cancer because they do not dictate the status quo. This year's World Cancer Day will be commemorated under the theme: "I am and I will do it". This theme is geared towards individual efforts in the fight against cancer. Everyone has to wonder what they should do to fight cancer. We should not sit back and wait for the government's efforts solely in the fight against cancer, but we should get involved as individuals and as groups. The theme calls for personal commitment to help reduce the burden of cancer.

One wonders how they can help reduce cancer. Some of the ways you can become involved in the fight against cancer include: Make healthy lifestyle choices, including avoiding tobacco products, including Shisa. Do a lot of physical activities. Exercise daily and, if necessary, walk instead of using a car or a boda-boda, and physical exercise helps eliminate excess weight, which n & # 39; Is not good for health. It has been proven that physical exercise makes people happier, thus combating stress, which is one of the ways in which people can contract cancer.

Make sure you have a healthy diet, rich in vegetables and less fatty foods.
You must also limit your consumption of alcohol because cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and esophagus have been linked to alcohol consumption, which clearly increases the risk of contracting these cancers. Drinking and smoking together increases the risk of these cancers even more than drinking or smoking alone.

Indeed, alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco to penetrate the cells that line the mouth, throat and esophagus. Alcohol can also limit the ability of these cells to repair the damage done to their DNA by chemicals in tobacco. Staying away from many badual partners will also help reduce the risk of cancer, especially cervical cancer in women. Having many badual partners or becoming badually active early can lead to cervical cancer. The transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) types causing cancer almost always occurs as a result of badual contact with a person with HPV.

Women who have had many badual partners usually have a higher risk of HPV infection. This increases their risk of developing cervical cancer. As an individual, stay away from many badual partners to avoid the risk of cervical cancer. Know the signs and symptoms of cancer and know about early detection guidelines because early detection of cancer often helps with treatment. You need to make sure you detect cancer early. At the Uganda Cancer Institute, cancer screening is free and is done every day of the week. The institute now has a full-fledged building dedicated to early detection and information services. Take advantage of these services!

You can share stories about your own cancer experience in case you are a survivor, communicate with decision makers and join support groups such as cancer survivor organizations to help bring positive change to all those affected by cancer. the cancer. When possible, use work and other daily activities during and after cancer treatment to maintain normalcy, routine, stability, social contacts, and income.

With the above measures in place in our personal lives, we will be able to join the fight against cancer as individuals, as we complement the government's efforts in this fight. "I am and I want", personally commits us to the fight against cancer. Let us all join in the fight because cancer attacks you personally and its effects spread to the family and communities, both socially and economically.