Cancer has become a killer disease. It has robbed us our loved ones, young and the aged, leaving behind an emotional distressed world and burdening families with high cost of catering for treatment and looking after those left behind after cancer kills their parents. It damages the cells in our bodies so fast if not recognized early enough. The causes of cancer have been associated with various things. Lifestyle is one of the cause, others associating it with genetic inheritance.
People who are obese have high chances of developing cancer, eating red meat can also lead to colon cancer ,sunbathing in a careless way can also lead to skin cancer. Prevention is better than cure, eat healthy, avoid processed food , avoid smoking, exercise regularly and always go for medical check up.
Today being World Cancer Day, 4th February, which was organized by the Union for International Cancer Control its important to look on early detection which can help in saving lives. The world has taken to social media to create cancer awareness today;
It's #WorldCancerDay
1 in 6 deaths is due to #cancer.
It is the second leading cause of death 🌍🌏🌎, responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2018. 👉https://t.co/4Iue1yxwLC
Let's beat cancer!
Let's beat cancer!
Let's beat cancer! pic.twitter.com/GfQ4wvjyzT— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 4, 2019
In the past cancer was said to be a disease for the old but its now a disease for everyone despite the age or gender. According to World Health Organization (WHO) approximately 300 000 children aged 0-19 old are diagnosed with cancer each year.
The common cancers among children are; leukemia, brain tumors, neuroblastoma, wilms tumor and lymphoma.
As a parent or guardian you should look out to signs and symptoms to these cancers which are; bone and joint pain, extreme fatigue and paleness, headache and dizziness, swollen lymph nodes in the neck or groin, unexplained sudden wait loss, a persistent fever, sudden eye or vision changes, bruising without a cause, persistent nausea and vomiting.
Children are so innocent and may not express themselves on what they feel. Be much observant to notice any of such signs. The fear of knowing one’s status is leading to loss of many lives for they get diagnosed with cancer without their knowledge .Parents should always take their children for medical check up to increase early detection of cancer.
The majority of #childhoodcancers do not have a known cause. Few #cancers in children are caused by environmental/lifestyle factors. #CancerPrevention efforts in children should focus on behaviours that will prevent thechildren from developing preventable #cancer as an adult pic.twitter.com/A8IsHHAPfr
— WHO South-East Asia (@WHOSEARO) February 4, 2019
Many types of cancer can be managed and cured if detected early.