CANCER LITERACY DAY
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A EUROPEAN DAY FOR CANCER LITERACY

Building a Permanent Movement for Equity in Access to Cancer Knowledge

Cancer Literacy Day helps people ask better questions, recognise reliable information, and move from uncertainty to understanding — together.

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About the day
2.8M

new cancer cases annually in Europe

6+

EU projects united under one movement

1

shared day to improve cancer literacy

WHAT IS CANCER LITERACY?

Moving cancer knowledge from specialised spaces into everyday life.

Cancer literacy is a shared civic capacity: the ability to find, understand and use reliable information about cancer. It is not a skill reserved for specialists — it belongs to citizens, relatives, friends and colleagues. Cancer Literacy Day makes that capacity visible and within reach for everyone.

≈ 1 in 2

people in Europe will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime — directly or through someone close.

~40%

of cancers are linked to risk factors that better understanding and prevention can help address.

WHY IT MATTERS

Cancer literacy is a matter of equity

Inequalities in cancer outcomes aren’t just about healthcare access, Theyre about knowledge. Who has it. Who doesn’t, And what that gap costs.

Better questions, earlier detection

Cancer literacy enables people to recognise symptoms sooner and seek help earlier — when treatment is most effective.

Equity across every border

Where you live should not determine what you know. Cancer literacy bridges the gap between communities and quality care.

Fighting misinformation

In a world of health misinformation, cancer literacy equips citizens to find, evaluate, and trust reliable information.

Informed patients, better outcomes

When patients understand their diagnosis and rights, they participate more actively in decisions that shape their care.

Get involved

Be part of the movement

Cancer Literacy Day is an open, collaborative European initiative. There are many ways to get involved — whatever your role, your voice matters.

Organisations & projects

Partner with us, co-organise local events, or add your project to the coalition.
Become a partner

Healthcare professionals

Share reliable resources, host a talk, or run a patient literacy session in your cornmunity.
Registrar an event

Policymakers & institutions

Support the call to integrate cancer literacy into national and European health agendas-
Read the policy brief

Citizens & patients

Attend an event near you. share the movement, or simply start a conversation.
Find an event
START LEARNING

Read the facts, not the fear

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Understanding cancer

What cancer is, how it develops, and the words you will hear — in plain language.

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Spotting reliable information

How to tell trustworthy sources from myths, and what to ask before believing a claim.

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Prevention & everyday choices

Practical, evidence-based steps around food, movement and screening that lower risk.

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FROM A PROJECT TO A MOVEMENT

The question mark as a ribbon

Cancer Literacy Day grows out of the CURTAIN project and is built to outlast it. The question mark stands for curiosity and the right to ask; the ribbon for care and solidarity. Together they say: understanding cancer begins with asking better questions.

Read the full story →

Start with a better question.

Explore plain-language facts, prevention guidance and reliable sources — and bring cancer literacy into your community.

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