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Open Day at Solas Centre to mark World Cancer Day

Open Day at Solas Centre to mark World Cancer Day

It's World Cancer Day tomorrow and a Waterford based support centre is opening its doors to mark the event.

Patients, survivors and their families are being encouraged to visit the Solas Cancer Support Centre on the Williamstown Road from 3.00pm to 5.00pm.

Manager Tracy McDaid says it's a very informal event.

It's predicted that by 2025 one in 20 adults will be a cancer survivor. Tracy McDaid says they want to do their bit to help people re-engage after a diagnosis. These support services include counselling, relaxation therapies and group support services which are provided at the Solas Cancer Support Centre. They provide those affected by cancer, their families and carers with a safe place; a place to talk things over, to relax and express emotions.

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Meanwhile, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris has stressed the importance of taking steps, as a society, to prevent cancer. The Minister was marking World Cancer Day, which takes place every year on the 4th of February.

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Minister Harris said “Ireland is making significant strides in cancer control. The latest figures published by The Lancet confirm we are moving up the global rankings and cancer survival rates here have improved significantly. Five-year survival rates for cancer have improved from 44.2% (1994-1998) to 61.1% (2010-2014).

“The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 aims to ensure that survival rates in Ireland continue to improve and that, over the lifetime of this Strategy, Irish survival rates will reach the top quartile in Europe. In achieving this we must also ensure that our services meet the needs of those living with and beyond cancer, from diagnosis and treatment to psycho-social support post-treatment. I am delighted to see a focus on improving the quality of life for cancer survivors through World Cancer Day”

The Minister has also announced that the Public Health Alcohol Bill is to return to the Oireachtas this week.

Minister Harris said “The campaign theme for World Cancer Day is “We can. I can” and highlights the fact that we can all play our part in reducing the burden of cancer. The day has a particular focus on prevention and survivorship, which is reflected in our own National Cancer Strategy, which was published last year. We can all take small steps to reduce our risk of developing cancer, like the simple changes that the Healthy Ireland campaign is encouraging us all to make. Eating more fruit and veg, keeping active, watching our alcohol intake, keeping a healthy weight, and of course, quitting smoking, are all, in fact, cancer prevention in action.

“Reducing alcohol intake is an important step in reducing the burden cancer. During the coming week I will bring the Public Alcohol Bill into the Dáil. This is a landmark piece of public health legislation, which will make a real difference when it comes to reducing the harm caused by alcohol, and I would appeal to all parties to support it.”

 

 

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