October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer globally and the leading cause of cancer death among women. WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative aims to reduce global breast cancer mortality by 2.5% per year, averting 2.5 million cancer deaths globally by 2040.

Early diagnosis is key to reducing mortality. The International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) is the proud recipient of a UICC grant for the early detection of breast cancer. ISNCC is using the grant funding to facilitate train-the-trainer initiatives and working with nurse leaders across Africa to educate ground nurses in the region on early diagnosis of breast cancer including health awareness messages and clinical breast examination. The goal is to maximize contributions of nurses, the biggest healthcare provider, to reduce cancer burden and mortality.

Union For International Cancer Control Initiatives

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is raising awareness of Breast Cancer through Pink October this month. Learn more about their initiatives including the launch of a Master Course on “Good practices for planning and implementing breast cancer projects” on the UICC Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Page.

As a proud member of UICC, ISNCC would like to encourage our community to help raise awareness of breast health and the importance of screening for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. As the largest component of the health workforce, nurses across the world play an important role in breast cancer management, including in the critical area of early diagnosis.