Breast cancer: renewed health awareness and sustainable efforts to combat the disease globally

Breast cancer… renewed health awareness and sustainable efforts to combat the disease globally

يبرز سرطان الثدي اليومَ باعتباره واحدًا من أخطر أمراض العصر؛ Therefore, all global efforts are of great importance in promoting health awareness and stimulating measures to prevent it and all chronic and fatal diseases. Because major health issues – such as breast cancer – are a direct reflection of the ability of societies to protect their citizens, ensure equitable access to health care, and achieve a balance between social and economic development.

This also highlights the necessity of adopting the Sustainable Development Plan with its seventeen goals, especially the third goal related to good health and well-being. فهي أساس لا غنى عنه لاستمرار عجلة التقدم والإنتاج. Based on this vision, theThe Earth Guards Foundation sheds light on one of the most important global breast cancer awareness initiatives; من أجل نشر الوعي بأخطاره، وهذا في إطار العدالة الصحية والتنمية المستدامة؛ So keep reading.

October Pink and Message 2025

With the advent of October, the “Pink October” slogan returns to remind the world of one of the most important public health issues that affects the lives of millions of women. Breast cancer issue. The choice of the month of October came as a result of the launch of the first organized efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer within the United States in October 1985, before the initiative gradually expanded and was adopted by international health bodies, most notably the World Health Organization. This month will become an annual global date that facilitates the unification of media and medical campaigns about the disease breast cancer.

In 2025, the campaign’s global slogan will come under the title: “Every story is unique, and every journey is important,” which reflects the fact that behind every breast cancer case is a story of courage, resilience, and hope, and that every treatment journey deserves compassion, support, and care.

This global slogan also affirms that breast cancer affects women and their families in different ways around the world, and that health justice requires equal access to early diagnosis and effective treatment, without regard to income, geography, or social background.

Global challenges in numbers

Data fromWorld Health Organization indicated that in 2022, approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and another 670,000 women died from it, which clearly reveals the seriousness of this disease worldwide.

On the other hand, international data confirm that there is a sharp disparity in survival rates from this disease. While survival rates in high-income countries reach 90%, in India, for example, these numbers drop to 66%, and 40% in South Africa.

This disparity is due to unequal access to, and if this trend continues, infection and mortality rates are expected to riseby 40% by 2050; There is therefore a need for global, urgent and coordinated action.

WHO Initiative: 60–60–80

Among other global efforts is the Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI), which was launched by the World Health Organization in 2021, in cooperation with international partners. With the aim of reducing deaths by strengthening health systems, and achieving three main goals known as “60–60–80”, which are as follows:

Early detection: Diagnosing 60% of invasive breast cancers in the first or second stage.

Timely diagnosis: Ensuring that the patient receives a diagnosis within 60 days of the first symptoms appearing.

Comprehensive treatment: 80% of patients complete their recommended treatment without interruption.

Breast cancer and development goals

Now, why should there be a link between breast cancer and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? The answer lies in the fact that good health and well-being – the third goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – is a pivotal condition for the continuation of social and economic development. Because early diagnosis of breast cancer and improving care chains from diagnosis to treatment and psychological support; All of these factors help reduce mortality rates and lift the financial burdens on vulnerable families in developing countries in particular. These factors also enhance women’s participation in society and the economy.

From this standpoint, “Pink October” can be considered a strategic opportunity to move the indicators of the third goal through:

• Integrating detection and treatment services into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) packages.
• Promoting mobile screening and community programmes; To ensure women have access to early diagnosis.
• Building accurate health databases; To monitor infection and survival rates and direct resources efficiently.
• Removing social and cultural barriers through community awareness, providing psychological and social support to female patients, and encouraging families to support early detection.

Towards an immediate response

For the above, Pink October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month – is a mirror that reveals the extent of the international community’s seriousness in transforming awareness into quality policies, financing, and services. Because success in confronting breast cancer requires international political will, sustainable funding, and an integrated health infrastructure, including detection, treatment, and psychological and social support.

Ultimately, the success of this global initiative is measured by its ability to make a long-term impact: increasing survival rates, improving women’s quality of life, promoting health equity globally; Therefore,The Earth Guards Foundation calls for all the world to unite, in order to bridge the care gap and enable women with breast cancer to receive effective treatment. No woman should face breast cancer alone.