World Cancer Day 2022-2024 theme: 
Close the Care Gap

 

World Cancer Day 2024 the theme is still "Close the Care Gap". The campaign is all about understanding and recognising the inequities in cancer care around the globe. This World Cancer Day, we recognise the power of working together.

We know that every single one of us has the ability to make a difference, large or small, and that together we can make real progress in reducing the global impact of cancer.

This 4 February, we call on you, whoever and wherever you are, to play your part in creating a cancer-free world. 

This World Cancer Day, what will you do to close the gap in cancer care?

 

 

A 3-year campaign for impact

World Cancer Day is more than a day on the calendar. That’s why our campaign is built to inspire change and mobilise action long after the day itself. 

A multi-year campaign means more exposure and engagement, more opportunities to build global awareness and ultimately more impact. Together, it’s time to close the care gap in cancer care. 

 

2024: Together, we challenge those in power

The last year of our campaign is all about bringing attention to a higher level—literally. We will raise our voices to engage our leaders. Now that we have knowledge and a united community by our side, we are ready to shake the very foundations of injustice—to become lifelong advocates fully equipped to push for lasting change.  

Together, we will make sure our leaders know that we demand a commitment to prioritising cancer, to creating innovative strategies designed to confront inequity and to investing our resources to achieve a just and cancer-free world. We will call on leaders to eliminate health inequities by addressing their root causes, ensuring that everyone has access to quality health services when, where and how they need them.  

 

This World Cancer Day, what will you do about the gaps in cancer care?  

Take action

2023: Uniting our voices and taking action

As our campaign continued, we joined with like-minded people because we know that we are stronger when we are united. We celebrated real-world progress in its many forms and allowed that momentum to fuel our fight for fairness. We did more than spread the word—we shouted it from the rooftops. We built stronger alliances and innovative new collaborations.   

Our actions took countless forms: motivating neighbours to provide transport to cancer treatment for a fellow resident or ensuring that healthy and affordable food options are offered at the local school.   

We mobilised our friends, family, coworkers and communities because we know that together we can achieve almost anything. 

Download the World Cancer Day 2023 Impact Report

 

2022: Realising the problem

The first year of the ‘Close the Care Gap’ campaign was all about understanding and recognising the inequities in cancer care around the globe. It’s about having an open mind, challenging assumptions and looking at the hard facts: 

  • Inequity in cancer care costs lives. 

  • People who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn. 

  • Income, education, location and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care. 

  • The gap affects everyone, including you and your loved ones. 

  • These barriers are not set in stone. They can be changed.  

This was the year to question the status quo and help reduce stigma; to listen to the perspectives of the people living with cancer and their communities and let those lived experiences guide our thoughts and actions. 

That’s how we can begin to imagine a better way of doing things and to build a fairer vision of the future—a future where people live healthier lives and have better access to health and cancer services, no matter where they are born, grow, age, work or live. 

Download the World Cancer Day 2022 Impact Report