The figures are staggering – around 8.8 million people die from cancer each year. Just let that sink in for a moment.
There are events happening all around the world in an effort to raise awareness and get people talking about how they can help raise awareness of cancer.
One of the events happening this World Cancer Day is #CancerRealityCheck. Orgainsed by 3 tweeters - @abcdiagnosis @bccww and @curmudgeo
Many of us who have had, or have cancer who use social media to either share our own story or to raise awareness, realise that the vast majority of people who read our blog posts and social media updates are themselves cancer patients or have been touched by cancer in some way.
Just think back to before you were diagnosed – how many cancer blogs did you read? No one wants to read about cancer if they haven’t got it themselves right? It never crossed my mind before being diagnosed 8 years ago to read about cancer, let alone to follow a blog post written by someone who had been diagnosed and was sharing their story to help raise awareness.
So how can we raise awareness if all we are doing is sharing our story with other cancer patients?
#CancerRealityCheck reckon they know a way. Using the power of social media they intend to create a lot of noise on Sunday at 4pm. They have a Thunderclap going off – you’ve still got time to sign up here and once it goes off at 4pm UK time they want as many people as possible to use the hashtag #CancerRealityCheck and share their own experiences of cancer.
If enough people take part and they can get the hashtag trending then more people will find out about the event and maybe even other media outlets will pick it up and report on it. The ripple effects from this could be enormous.
So please join in this World Cancer Day and be part of something amazing.
Kaz xx