On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the Voice of Oncology Patients Association organized the second annual Chamber of Deputies against Cancer event in the Chamber of Deputies. Its purpose is once again to raise awareness of this disease and at the same time to practically inform employees and members of the House of Commons about related preventive measures. This year, special emphasis is placed on comparing the situation of oncology treatment in individual Czech regions.
Employees and elected legislators of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic have the opportunity to visit the second year of the event called the Chamber of Deputies against Cancer in the Chamber of State Acts. The event, organized by the Voice of Oncology Patients, aims to remind people about prevention, screening programs, and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases.
“Up to 28,000 people die of oncological diseases in our country every year. As we unfortunately see, this disease does not escape anyone. Often also due to neglected prevention. We believe that by continuing the House of Representatives campaign against cancer, we can contribute not only to the necessary awareness but also to increased attention paid to prevention,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
The event, which takes place as part of the recent World Cancer Day, is organized by patient and support non-profit organizations united in the Voice of Oncology Patients association. This year, the event focuses on informing about the situation of oncological treatment and involving citizens in screening programs in individual regions. Until Friday, February 9, roll-ups with data will be displayed in the premises of the Chamber of Deputies, and members of the Voice of Oncology Patients will be available on-site for questions, education, and a demonstration of breast and testicle self-examination.
“It is a sad truth that every third citizen of our country will encounter an oncological disease. The aim of our activities is therefore to spread awareness and information about effective methods of prevention and at the same time focus our professional work based on scientifically verified data from individual domestic regions,” added Petra Adámková, chairwoman of the Voice of Oncology Patients Committee.
The event was sponsored again this year by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Minister of Health of the Government of the Czech Republic Vlastimil Válek and the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Health Zdenka Němečková Crkvenjaš. “Citizens’ awareness and active prevention is an essential tool in the fight against cancer, because if cancer is detected at an early stage, treatment usually has a greater chance of success and can significantly increase the patient’s quality of life. In the Czech Republic, we have one of the most generous offers of screening programs in the world, and we continue to strengthen it. And patient organizations have an irreplaceable role in the fight against cancer, for which I thank them,” added Health Minister Vlastimil Válek.
“A revolution in medicine. This is what has been going on for the last ten years in the field of cancer treatment of almost all types. I know from my experience that a diagnosis of melanoma, i.e. skin cancer, was almost certainly a death sentence 25 years ago. This is no longer the case today. And colleagues in other fields are in a similar situation. Even a four-centimeter lung tumor does not have to mean a complete disaster. In general, previously hopeless cases survive for many years. However, one fundamental and important thing applies to the treatment of any cancer. The earlier the disease appears, the greater the patient’s chance of treatment and recovery. Therefore, one of the most important parts of treatment is prevention. Therefore, please get yourself examined according to the doctors’ recommendations. You might save your life by doing so,” concluded Zdenka Němečková Crkvenjaš, chairwoman of the parliamentary health committee.