World Cancer Day every 4 February is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). By raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, we're working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all - no matter who you are or where you live. 

Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to unite under one voice to face one of our greatest challenges in history. You can find more information here: https://www.worldcancerday.org/about-us

Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organisations and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, places of worship - in the streets and online - acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.

This year's World Cancer Day's theme, 'I Am and I Will', is all about you and your commitment to act. We believe that through our positive actions, together we can reach the target of reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030. Our time to act is now.

To help us turn our words of support into action, I spoke to Communications Coordinator at CHOC, Taryn Seegers about Flip Flop day which is taking place on the 12th of Feb 2021. In the podcast below you will find all the details. 

At any one time CHOC can have over 1500 children and teenagers in their care, whilst offering psychosocial support to over 1500 families. As an NPO, it is essential that CHOC receive and sustain the funds to support these courageous children and teenagers, so that they can keep on fighting even when their young bodies are exhausted and hurting. And this is where Flippie, South Africa’s favourite and most well-loved CHOC SOLE-dier comes in! Flippie is a flip-flop with a serious passion for compassion who has stepped up to lead the movement to get every single South African – young, old, corporate, casual, from the sea side to the city – to have a heart and wear a sole! All he wants us to do, quite literally, is to kick off our shoes for a day and slip on a pair of flip flops. He is determined to get every one of us to set our 10 toes free, to walk beside our little fighters in solidarity against a disease that needs to know that we will NOT give up without a fight! Now in its 2nd year, the CHOC Flip Flop Day is an annual event celebrated on 12 February 2021. It is a day of fun and colour because although childhood cancer is in no way light hearted, South Africans certainly are, and when it comes to our children we need to rally behind them, as CHOC SOLE-diers to truly show that we are a force to be reckoned with. “We are so excited for our 2nd Flip Flop Day”, says Taryn Seegers Communication Coordinator of CHOC. “Flip Flops are most certainly a part of almost all of our wardrobes, and who isn’t looking for an excuse to wear them? Now we’re giving the public the chance to show us their heart by wearing a sole to bring some colour to the streets and highlight the importance of the work that CHOC does." 

Social worker at CHOC, Maria Mtonxa talks about the work she does at the pediatric oncology unit at Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein. She explains that being a councilor and support to these families is a fulltime job but one that she does with so much passion. She says the reason for her strength is the smiles on the faces of the children fighting cancer so bravely. They motivate her. Take a listen here.

For more details about CHOC and Flip Flop day, visit them here: https://choc.org.za/