Cancer statistics are pretty scary. We can, however, take hope in prevention. There are many things that you and I can do today to reduce our exposure to cancer-causing agents.

The Cancer Picture

In 2007, nearly 160,000 Canadians – about the same number as the entire population of metropolitan Kelowna, BC, or Kingston, Ontario – will hear three words that will change their lives forever: “You have cancer.” This year, over 70,000 Canadians will die from cancer. These are not just statistics – they are mothers, co-workers, school-mates and big brothers. They’re children, next-door neighbours, grandparents, sisters, uncles and cherished friends. They are young and old, male and female, rich and poor – and of every race, colour and creed. As the Baby Boom generation gets older, even more Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer. But it’s not just our aging population – the incidence of many cancers, such as breast, prostate and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, has increased in nearly every age group in Canada since the Second World War.
The economic costs of cancer throughout society are enormous. The physical and emotional costs to individuals and families affected by cancer are unimaginable – they simply can’t be counted.

Prevention is the Answer

Is this picture of cancer depressing? Yes, definitely. But here is much better news: More than half of all cancers in Canada can be prevented. Prevention is what  Prevent Cancer Now is all about. We know that if we take bold action for prevention, thousands of Canadians will live. Thousands more will not suffer the brutality of cancer treatment.
The purpose of  Prevent Cancer Now is to build a Canada-wide movement with the resolve to eliminate all avoidable causes of cancer. There are many ways to take action for prevention:

Sign our Declaration for Cancer Prevention   Pledge your financial support, or help us   raise funds through the annual   Cancer Prevention Challenge

Changes You can Make Today

Prevent Cancer Now works at a broader level to remove cancer-causing agents from our environment There are many things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. Devra Davis is the director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. In addition to the well-known rules of cancer prevention: don’t smoking, eat well (plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit), and exercise, these are the things Devra does:

Food: Eat organic produce, especially fruits whose peels are eaten, and avoid red meat. Eat low on the food chain, choosing more fresh produce and grains and less meat.
Cleaning products: Look under the kitchen sink, and avoid using anything that carries a skull and crossbones. Buy baking soda and vinegar instead - they’re just as good.
Cellphones: Limit your calls as much as possible, to lower direct microwave penetration to your brain.
Non-stick cookware and stain repellents: Throw out any old, cracked non-stick pans, since the chemical, PFOA, used to make the non-stick coating has been linked to cancer. It is also presernt in stain-resistant clothing, and waterproof fabrics. Rain-proof gear is OK,, but not next to the skin.
Personal care items: Avoid anything that contains parabens - butylparaben, methylparaben - which in some studies have shown estrogenic activity, and which have also been found in human breast tumours. “We have to create political change so young mothers and fathers don’t need to be chemists to decide on a shampoo for their baby.” – Devra Davis.

Prevention is the best single opportunity we have to stop the cancer epidemic in Canada. We invite you to join us now!

Diana Daghofer and Guy Dauncey
On behalf of Prevent Cancer Now