SHAH ALAM – There are more than 40 per cent of deaths due to cancer that could have been prevented by avoiding risk factors like smoking, alcohol use, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity.
Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said cancer was more common than it was before and therefore more efforts needed to be made to raise awareness about it.
"Cancer is the second main cause of death worldwide, where it is affected by a range of factors such as not having enough money to undergo complete treatment and health factors such as smoking, genetics, consuming alcohol, practicing an unhealthy diet and being physically inactive," she said.
She added that while approximately 10 million people have died due to cancer each year, it can still be avoided by going for regular health screening.
"The estimation is that one third of deaths related to cancer could have been avoided through healthy screening, early detection and getting the needed treatment," she said.
She said this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) event between Columbia Asia Hospital – Bukit Rimau (CAH-BR) with the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA), held at the hospital, last week.
She also emphasised the importance of celebrating National Cancer Survivor Day, saying that it was the day dedicated to recognising and respecting cancer survivors.
She said it was a collective effort to increase awareness about the continuous challenges faced by the survivors and celebrate the gift of life.
Jamaliah said it was important to create a supportive community to uplift the spirits of those undergoing treatment and healing, as well as celebrating the lives of those who have completely recovered from cancer.
"This can be done through sharing laughter and stories together.
"Let’s all gather and spend our time getting to know them, supporting them and hearing their success stories.
"This is a reminder that life after cancer is not just possible but can be filled with happy moments and continuous celebration.
"I hope that this celebration can increase the spirit of cancer survivors in fighting cancer, especially those who have just been recently diagnosed," Jamaliah said.