Stop and C

Globally, 1 in 5 men and 1 in 6 women develop cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 8 men and 1 in 11 women die from it [1]. The highest cancer rates are seen in developed countries as Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, European nations and the USA [2]. It has been forecast that 1 in 2 people in the UK are likely to develop cancer during their lifetime [3]. Globally, only 5–10% of all cancers are known to be due to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% are rooted in the environment and lifestyle [4]. This highlights the urgency of the matter and how we tackle it today to avoid it tomorrow.

While there are millions of pieces of publicly available information regarding the causes, symptoms and preventative measures for cancer, not a lot of all that information and caution have had adequate impact on the choices of food, consumables or lifestyle for a fair majority of us, to say the least. This is very likely because even though a fair majority of us have had direct or indirect experiences of knowing someone who has developed cancer, we are still hopeful that it won’t affect us. ‘It (cancer) won’t happen to me’ – that is exactly what individuals who lost their lives to cancer or have survived cancer thought until that time when they were told they have cancer.

Current scientific data suggests that 30–50% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies. Hence, modifying or avoiding the known risk factors of cancer can significantly reduce the burden of cancer [4]. This very fact drives the ‘Stop and C’ initiative.

Something more than just informing people about the facts and figures regarding cancer is required to see real changes made by people to their own lives to avoid cancer-causing risk factors. Hence, ‘Stop and C’ uses a two pronged approach to influence real change amongst people’s ways of life around cancer-causing risk factors.

Firstly, a decisive research into the true reasons of motivation amongst the varied demography is underway to find out what can influence them to make changes to their lifestyles to avoid the known cancer-causing risks.

Secondly, based on information derived from the above research, ‘Stop and C’ is communicating to individuals globally in the most unconventional ways to first inform, then inspire and eventually involve them in adopting simple but effective evidence-based changes to their lifestyles to avoid cancer. Importantly, the project also stresses that every individual also becomes an ambassador for the mission to influence their own peers for a wider impact.

In 2018, 18.1  million  new  cases  and  9.6  million  deaths  from cancer were estimated around the world. Aging and socio-economic development are important factors in the increasing burden of cancer [5]. Hence, by influencing people’s habits, choices and behaviour to avoid cancer-causing risks today, ‘Stop and C’ intends to create a long-lasting effect on reducing the global burden of cancer in the near future.