Action for Breast Cancer Foundation in Malta

Action for Breast Cancer Foundation in Malta is organising a both a morning and evening event for the World Cancer Day on February 4th at the Verdala Palace under the Distinguished Patronage of Her Excellency Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta.

The Conference will focus on Environmental Policy as a lever for cancer prevention and it is aimed for Health and Environmental NGO’s, Health Care Professionals, Medical doctors, Medical and Health Science Students etc.

Génon K Jensen, Executive Director of Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), is a keynote speaker and will welcome Malta’s initiative to emphasise the often forgotten aspect of the fight against cancer.

“ HEAL welcomes Malta’s initiative on World Cancer Day to highlight a missing link in cancer prevention by focussing on the role of environmental policy. We hope the experience can inspire other European countries to take up the issue during European Week against Cancer in May.

Within the past 18 months, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency (IARC) has officially recognised air pollution as a contributor to lung cancer. The experts also noted a positive association between higher levels of air pollution and an increased risk of bladder cancer.

Some chemicals in the work and home environment are known to be carcinogenic; others disrupt the human hormone system and are associated with hormonal cancers, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. The incidence of both these cancers is high having increased rapidly in recent decades in Europe. Experts are in agreement that these upward trends cannot derive from genetics, or an aging population nor on better screening alone; environmental factors, especially exposure to certain hazardous chemicals, is one of the likely causes.

National cancer plans often address environmental factors – but much more needs to be done if the opportunities for primary prevention of cancer are to be fully optimised. “

HEAL’s work on Cancer & Environment

HEAL has been working since its inception in 2003 to bring attention to opportunities for preventing chronic conditions, including cancer, through the promotion of a less toxic environment.

More information

• Further expected guests and speakers are amongst others EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella , Prof. Christian Scerri from the University of Malta, Esther Sant from Action for Breast Cancer Foundation, Europa Donna Malta and many more.
• World Cancer Day is a global event taking place every year on February 4th with the aim to unite all for the fight against cancer and raising awareness about cancer and prevention.
• Please find here the full programme of the event for the morning event and evening event.
• Please find here the registrations links for either the morning session or evening session.
• Environmental protection of personal importance to 99% of Maltese, timesofmalta, February 4, 2015.

Original post

• HEAL participating in World Cancer Day 2015 in Malta,
  chemicalshealthmonitor.org blog latest news, FEBRUARY 2, 2015.