National Cancer Awareness Day marked on November 7, linked to Marie Curie's birthday

National Cancer Awareness Day is observed across the country on November 7 every year. The Union Health Ministry officially began marking the day in India in 2014. The aim is for people to take the disease seriously and learn about it.

The very mention of cancer instils fear in many. In today's hectic and changing lifestyles, it is counted among the most dangerous and deadly diseases. Even so, the message put out with the day is that the disease can be controlled if it is detected in time and proper care is provided.

The choice of November 7 has a historical connection. The day is linked to the birthday of the celebrated scientist and Nobel laureate Marie Curie. She did outstanding work in physics and chemistry and discovered the elements radium and polonium. Her discovery and the use of radiotherapy later proved revolutionary in the treatment of cancer. The day is also considered important as a way of honouring her contribution to science and drawing inspiration from her work.

According to information associated with the day, the number of cancer patients in India appears to be rising at an alarming rate every year. The causes listed include poor diet, the use of tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol, lack of exercise and growing pollution. Villages still lack full information about the disease, so diagnosis comes late there and it becomes difficult to save the patient's life.

To tackle this problem, health camps, free screening programmes, workshops and symposiums are held across the country on November 7. People are told through these not to ignore changes in their bodies.

The central message of the day is that prevention is better than cure. The advice offered on the occasion includes eating less junk food and adding fresh fruit, green vegetables and nutritious meals to the diet, staying away from tobacco, gutkha, smoking and alcohol, and exercising and practising yoga regularly. It is also said that anyone who notices an unusual lump in the body, a persistent cough, sudden weight loss or other trouble should consult a doctor at once and get a full health check-up.

The message of the day says early detection is the real key to treating cancer. It claims that if the disease is caught at an early stage, the chance of successful treatment is more than 90 per cent. An appeal has also been made to everyone to pledge to look after their own and their family's health, so that a healthy, cancer-free society can be built.