A factual glimpse at Cancer Awareness

Cancer is a word, not a sentence – a message used in a multitude of campaigns across the globe to affirm self-belief in Cancer patients and survivors. But this single word sums us the catastrophic changes a family goes through – loss or disability-adjusted life, economic turmoil, quest for effective medical treatment, resources and infrastructure. According to ICMR estimates, India had 13.9 lakh cancer cases in 2020, likely to be increased to 15.7 lakhs by 2025. In addition, with the barriers of pandemics over the last two years, Cancer timely screening and treatment have faced constant impediments.

According to WHO estimates, despite governments, NGOs, and corporates consistently spreading awareness about this deadly disease, it still costs us about 10 million lives worldwide every year. February is the month of Cancer Awareness, so we at Market Xcel decided to add our efforts to reduce ignorance about Cancer through multiple platforms at our disposal. To this end, we developed a campaign to increase awareness about Cancer and asked a few pertinent questions-

• The primary cause of Cancer in India

  
  

• Can medical advancements effectively treat Cancer?

• What prevents patients from availing of advanced medical treatments?

Our research primarily showcased that 49% of our audiences believe that Tobacco is arch-nemesis in the fight against Cancer, followed by 43% that believed sedentary lifestyle leads to the increased number of Cancer. As for the query about advancement in cancer treatment, predominantly of our audience (57%) think that medical science has progressed enough to give a tough fight to Cancer. We asked what primary hindrance patients face in seeking advanced treatment for our last query.  36% categorically stated that High Cost is the crucial reason why commoners cannot seek progressive medical interventions.

These numbers reinforce our belief that Tobacco contributes maximum to the burden of the Cancer fight. The marketers must come together to send a strong message against the use of Tobacco. Campaigns should involve leaders from every segment of society against this menace. Next in line should be encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The wellness and health brands have been actively campaigning to inspire every generation to be active and decrease the incidence of this deadly disease. A sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet, processed food are a few primary reasons for the higher incidence of Cancer, especially in younger generations. As per WHO – 75,000 kids are currently diagnosed with Cancer every year in India. A definitely worrying trend for a young India

Cost is the next aspect that creates a massive hindrance in trouncing this beast. A populace country like India lacks the medical infrastructure, especially tertiary care centres, for early screening and detection. Travelling to metros for basic detection and then follow up treatments takes a considerable toll on the financial stability of families. Cancer not only strikes the patient’s health but also destabilizes the future of the middle- and lower-class families pushing them to the brink of poverty. We at Market Xcel believe that the Indian Government should increase the screening infrastructure mainly in the nation’s rural areas to enable early diagnosis of the disease. Along with offering financial assistance to the Cancer diagnosed individuals for a better treatment facility.

Social media is an excellent tool in this war against Cancer in the digital era. Carefully crafted campaigns can create awareness and prompt the community to opt for early screening and reduce the prevalence of this malady. Therefore, the day’s need is to unite the power of social communication to address this disease and help the country, doctors, and healthcare workers to manage Cancer for a healthy India.

Cancer is a recapitulation of the body’s life, its existence a pathological mirror of our own.

– Siddhartha Mukherjee, the Emperor of Maladies- a Biography of Cancer