February 4th is World Cancer Day and I wanted to share this blog post about how we can all help to support the cause and raise awareness.
What is World Cancer Day?
Here is a brief introduction from the World Cancer Day organization website: https://www.worldcancerday.org/about
World Cancer Day is an international day observed every 4 February to raise awareness about cancer, encourage its prevention, and mobilize action to address the global cancer epidemic.
The day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Their mission is to combine personal, collective, and government action to prevent cancer deaths and make access to life-saving cancer treatment and care equitable for all, no matter where you are or where you live. Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.
UICC runs World Cancer Day campaigns in three-year cycles to allow for a deeper exploration of a particular theme and achieve greater impact. The theme for 2025 to 2027 is “United by Unique” which places people at the center of care and explores new ways of making a difference. Cancer is more than just a medical diagnosis—it’s a deeply personal matter. Behind every diagnosis lies a unique human story—stories of grief, pain, healing, resilience, love, and more. Every experience with cancer is unique and it will take all of us, united, to create a world where we look beyond the disease and see the person before the patient. A world where the needs of people and communities are at the center of health systems.
This theme deeply resonated with me and inspired me to share my story and my books with others this month. I also hope to inspire more people to join together in helping to raise awareness and learn more about cancer. (I hope to share a bit more about my dad's cancer journey this month as well, so stay tuned. Even though my books were inspired by my personal experience witnessing my dad go through cancer; there are many other things that were not mentioned in the books.)
Why Should We Care?
Cancer has become increasingly common worldwide, and families everywhere are impacted, whether through personal diagnoses or by supporting loved ones in their fight against cancer. However, many families still struggle to understand, cope with, and navigate the journey. Raising awareness can help lead to early detection, better treatments, improved survival rates, and a more supportive and understanding community.
Ways to Support and Raise Awareness
Share Information or Personal Stories
Start by reading more about cancer prevention, symptoms, and treatments from reputable sources. You can share your findings with your family and friends and encourage each other to lead healthier lifestyles to prevent cancer or other life-threatening illnesses as much as possible. Having a basic understanding of the common symptoms can lead to earlier diagnoses and allow doctors to provide more effective treatment and care. You can also consider sharing your personal stories or related articles about cancer with others through social media, blog posts, or other platforms to spread awareness and help more people recognize symptoms experienced by themselves or loved ones. Your story may help other patients or family members better cope and understand the cancer journey. Discover more personal stories here.
Below are some useful sites to visit to learn more about cancer research, prevention, treatment, and care:
Get Involved
There may be some local charity events or awareness campaigns you can participate in. Many hospitals and community groups host initiatives that raise funds and awareness for cancer research and support related services. Joining walks or runs can also forge community connections and provide emotional support to those affected by cancer. Consider volunteering at local hospitals to visit and support cancer patients and caregivers. Simply sitting with them, chatting, or reading to them can bring a little comfort during this difficult time. If you know any friends, relatives, or neighbors going through this, offer your time and support and regularly check in with them to see if there is anything you can do to help.
One of my author friends, Eugenia Chu, from the US, regularly produces cancer care baskets with her son and donates them to breast cancer patients at a local hospital. You can learn more about what they do at the following link and sponsor them to continue this wonderful and meaningful initiative: https://eugeniachu.com/cancer-care-baskets-by-brandon-and-mommy/
Reading Stories Together
It can be so difficult to start that conversation, especially with kids. Even as an adult, I found it challenging and heartbreaking to go through this with my dad and wished that I had read stories about this when I was young to help me better understand the processes and emotions that come with cancer. There weren't a lot of people I could talk to, and I felt like no one could truly understand what I was feeling. I felt so alone. As a teacher, I started imagining what it would be like to go through this as a child, and it broke my heart even more. If one of my students found out their loved ones had been diagnosed with cancer, what would I do or say? What if their parents asked me for help and advice about talking to their child about it? How do you start that conversation? After thinking about these questions, I knew I needed to share my story and help children and families to not only talk openly about cancer or terminal illnesses but also be able to find hope after loss. Storytelling through children's books can help to introduce complex and difficult topics in a way that makes it more accessible and easier for children to understand and relate to the experience and, at the same time, foster resilience, empathy, compassion, and hope, improving their overall emotional understanding and communication skills. Through authentic stories about real-life experiences, children will be encouraged to open up about their feelings and emotions during this difficult time and build stronger bonds with their families, friends, and caregivers.
As an author and teacher passionate about this cause, I am offering some of my children’s books for free as eBooks from February 4th to 8th.
Can You Hear Me, Daddy? and Can You Hear Me? were written in honor and memory of my dad, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2017. Both of these books are the same story but are written for different age groups. In the story, a little girl called Renee finds out her daddy has cancer and struggles to understand why it is happening. She starts praying and asking God to make him better. She wonders, what if he doesn't get any better? Can she still talk to him after he is gone? Even as he becomes sicker and weaker, she learns about the meaning of faith and sees how we can still have peace, hope, and joy in the midst of loss and grief.
CYHMD is a picture book, suitable for ages 6 to 9, and CYHM is a chapter book, suitable for ages 10 or above. Several schools, churches, and organizations in Hong Kong have used CYHMD as a resource to help children understand the challenges and emotions associated with cancer and grief. These books aim to bring hope and allow families to discuss and talk about the difficult topic through the guidance of a relatable and heartwarming story.
Adventures With Daddy: At the Circus was published last August. This story was inspired by the first two books, where the character Renee writes a story for her dad and reads it to him to cheer him up during his cancer treatment. The story is about her and her dad performing as clowns at the circus. After she reads it to her dad, he encourages her to write more stories and continue reading them for him. This is a more lighthearted story, which isn't related to cancer but focuses on overcoming anxiety and worries as Renee prepares for her first circus performance with her dad. This also sparked my idea of creating a series of stories written by Renee about her adventures with her daddy, which she continues to write to honor his memory. (There will be more stories coming soon in this series.)
Download all the eBooks for free from February 4 to 8. Feel free to share them with your friends and family. I will be donating the proceeds from the paperback sales of these books during the month of February to support the cause as well. You can find the links to purchase below:
(Free resources, such as coloring sheets and reflection guides, are also available. Join my mailing list to access them all and any future resources related to my books.)
I have also created a wishlist on Amazon with even more children's books related to cancer. Most of them are written by indie authors as well. Feel free to add to the list and share it to help others discover more books about cancer. There are also books written for children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
I do not expect anyone to send me these books. I merely created the list as a resource. By sharing and reading more books and stories about cancer, you can contribute directly to raising awareness and educating young children to foster a community that is informed, supportive, and resilient.
Donate
There are various cancer organizations that conduct research and provide treatment, patient care, and support. Consider donating to one of these organizations to support their work and continual efforts. There is still so much we don't know about cancer, yet more and more people are affected by it every day and constantly need help and treatment, which costs a lot of money. Many patients and families are unable to afford treatment, have limited options, or are not even able to seek doctors for a proper diagnosis. Financial constraints should not limit people's access to necessary and life-saving health care services and treatment. If you are willing and have the means, below are some cancer organizations you may consider donating to or fundraising for. You can also invite friends and family to sponsor you to participate in cancer fundraising walks or runs.
I hope that more people can join together in this cause to continue raising awareness and support ongoing research and care for families affected by cancer around the world. Every little bit helps!
Feel free to share this blog post. If you would like to suggest or recommend other resources, websites, and books related to cancer, share a personal story, or other ways to help raise awareness, please leave a comment on this post. Keep spreading the word and sharing stories to help build a supportive and understanding community to fight against cancer together! Thank you!
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