Cancer Society launches Daffodil Month as diagnoses projected to rise

EAGLE STAFF

Officials expect cancer diagnoses to increase by almost 40 per cent between 2020 and 2040, as the Canadian Cancer Society began its annual Daffodil Month effort in April to raise money and awareness.

Society leaders want Canadians “to support continuous progress against cancer” by helping pay for “the most promising, transformative research,” its statement said.

“Daffodil Month is a time to turn hope into action,” said Andrea Seale of Vancouver, who directs the society, which “is investing in areas where there is the greatest potential to prevent cancer and save lives.”

The organization wants more access to clinical trials and a lower screening age to detect colorectal cancer, Seale said.

Experts believe that almost half the people in Canada will receive a cancer diagnosis during their lives, the statement said.

Survival rates have improved significantly, but “cancer remains the leading cause of death, underscoring the need for more advancements and innovative approaches to care,” it said.

The society is helping pay for 470 research projects.

Donations made from April 16 to 30 will be matched, the statement added, noting, “For some cancers, survival now exceeds 90 per cent when detected early.”