Cancer will soon be the leading killer of women and men worldwide. Already, cancer kills more people annually than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDs combined. Last year, 7.6 million people died from cancer. By 2020 that number will double, and by 2030 cancer will account for over 17 million deaths – mostly in poor and developing countries. This is a global tragedy requiring a global response from governments and world leaders. Remarkably, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals make no mention of cancer. Excluding cancer from these goals has made it harder for governments to make cancer a national priority, even while cancer caseloads and deaths rise higher and higher.
Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, founding chair of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the World Health Organization’s Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control, has called on the world’s governments to make cancer a global priority. For the United Nations to achieve its targets in the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those that promote maternal health and empower women, cancer cannot be neglected and must be included. Read Ambassador Brinker’s speech to the Global Health Ministers, challenging them to “include cancer” at the top of their health agendas.
Please help us to mobilize global action in the fight against cancer. Sign this petition today, and encourage your friends and relatives to sign it as well. Make your voice heard in our global fight!
