Nov 25

Historic initiative launched: World Radiotherapy Awareness Day takes shape

The first official meeting to establish a World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) took place at Conway Hall during London Global Cancer Week. Remarkably, this same venue hosted a significant event 81 years earlier. In 1943, Lord Bevan, the founder of the National Health Service (NHS), participated in a meeting at Conway Hall, which is regarded as a pivotal moment in the establishment of the NHS.

Hosts of the WRAD session: Sandra Turner and Katie Wakeham

At this historic location in 2024, radiotherapy advocates gathered from around the world to help support and shape this new WRAD initiative.

Solomon Kibudde speaking at the WRAD Session at LGCW

Solomon Kibudde, Uganda Cancer Inst. spoke at the session and shared a statement on behalf of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC):

“Today we are excited to be founding partners of the world radiotherapy awareness day, as it serves as a pivotal platform to: Raise awareness and highlight the critical role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment, and existing disparities in access across Africa. It serves to advocate for investment in radiotherapy infrastructure, workforce development and patient access. It's a day to educate communities, governments, and international stakeholders about the life-saving power of radiotherapy in cancer care and to highlight the urgent need to bridge the equity gap in access. And lastly to foster collaboration, promote partnerships among African nations and global stakeholders, to share resources, knowledge, and best practices.”

Society Representatives

We were honored to hear from representatives and receive support from the following societies:

Review the Recording

You can watch a recording of the Creating a World Radiotherapy Awareness Day session here:

Provide Feedback

We invite all to join this initiative and help us bring this important campaign day to life in 2025. Please share your comments and ideas for WRAD, by completing the form below. You can also share this link with your networks. This feedback form will be open through the end of 2024.

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