The Pink Ribbon 2024
For several years, the Icelandic Cancer Society has defined October as the pink month to raise awareness of women's cancer.
Due to advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, there are around 11,000 women in this country who are alive after being diagnosed with cancer. Although many women are considered cured, many of them have chronic cancer or are battling side effects following cancer and its treatment.
Despite significant progress against cancer, cancer remains the most common cause of premature death in this country. In Iceland, about 1,000 women are diagnosed with cancer each year, and during the same time, 300 women die of the disease. Of these, 150 women are under 75 years of age. The number of women who are diagnosed with cancer and die of the disease is unacceptable.
Cancer concerns us all. One in three people can expect to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and most of us are at some point, even more than once, in the position of being a relative or close to someone who is diagnosed with cancer. No one should have to face cancer alone, and we know that supportive family members and friends can make all the difference when it comes to the fight against cancer.
In this year's Pink Ribbon campaign, we are directing our attention to those who have a family member or a friend with cancer. We want to thank them for their invaluable support, but we will also shed light on their situation and needs during the illness of their loved one and what can be done to ease their burden.
Unity and support are very important, whether it concerns serious illness, recovery, rehabilitation, prevention, or research. Like elsewhere in the world, people in Iceland want to contribute to achieving even better results against cancer. They want to help reduce the number of people being diagnosed with cancer, increase the number of people who survive the disease, and ensure that their lives and the lives of their loved ones are as good as possible. The Icelandic Cancer Society works towards these goals daily with the steadfast support of the public and businesses because lives are at stake.
Surveys show that people are generally unaware that the Cancer Society operates entirely on donations from individuals and businesses, and those donations are the foundation of the Icelandic Cancer Society's work. With these donations, significant achievements have already been made, and they will continue to enable the Icelandic Cancer Society to be a strong supporter of people with cancer and their loved ones, and for that, we are thankful.