Questions, answered.

No. Everything on this site is general information, written in plain language. For anything about your own health or treatment, always speak to a qualified professional.

Our symbol turns the familiar awareness ribbon into a question mark. It stands for two things at once: curiosity — the right to ask, because no question about cancer is too small — and care.

Like a curtain being opened, it says that something distant or complex can be made visible, understandable and usable. We ask. We understand. We act.

A European public day dedicated to helping people find, understand and use reliable information about cancer. It grew out of the CURTAIN project and is designed to last well beyond it.

CURTAIN is the European project Cancer Literacy Day grew out of. It was conceived to move cancer knowledge from specialised spaces into ordinary life — making information more understandable, more usable and closer to people’s everyday lives.

The metaphor of the curtain suggests that something previously distant, complex or hidden can be opened up. Cancer Literacy Day carries that purpose forward as a durable public symbol, designed to stand on its own and travel across Europe long after the project ends.

The first Cancer Literacy Day takes place on 14 October 2026, with events across Europe. It is designed as a durable public day — one that returns every year and keeps travelling long after the project that started it.

Everyone. Understanding cancer is not only for specialists — it is for people living with cancer and their loved ones, families, schools, libraries, workplaces and clubs, healthcare professionals, organisations and policymakers.

If you have ever had a question about cancer, this day is for you. No question is too small — that is the whole point.

Before you believe a claim, ask four questions:

• Who published it? Look for hospitals, universities, health authorities and named experts.
• When was it updated? Cancer knowledge evolves — recent, dated sources are more trustworthy.
• Is it evidence-based? Reliable information cites research, not anecdotes or single stories.
• Does it sell something? Be cautious when a “fact” conveniently promotes a product or cure.

Our own guides are written in plain language and show when they were last reviewed.

Take a breath before you believe it — or share it. Run it through the four reliability questions: who published it, when it was updated, whether it cites evidence, and whether it is selling something.

If it concerns your own health, take the question to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist rather than a comment section. And if you are not sure a claim is true, not sharing it is one of the most useful things you can do — fear travels faster than facts.

Cancer literacy is the ability to find, understand and use reliable information about cancer. It is not about knowing everything — it is about knowing what to ask, recognising information you can trust, and using it to take the next step with confidence.

Yes — anyone can. A talk, a Q&A, a reading corner, a market stall or a screening info day: anything that starts a conversation counts.

The free toolkit walks you through four steps: pick a format, download the toolkit, tell us about your event so it appears on the map, then host and share what happened.

No. You do not need to be a health professional or a designer. The toolkit is free and everything in it is ready to print and share — no design skills needed.

Your role is to open the conversation and point people to reliable information, not to give medical advice. Start where you are, with the people already around you.

The one that fits the place where people already gather. Across Europe the campaign takes six forms: stories on screens that spark conversations, libraries becoming places for facts and answers, fashion and art that wear the question, food that tastes of prevention rather than myths, sport that moves the conversation, and everyday moments where the right question changes the next step.

Pick the one that feels natural for your school, library, workplace or club — small and real beats big and complicated.

Yes — the toolkit is made to be made your own. Translate the prompts, add your venue, date and local partners, and choose the pieces that fit your event.

The one thing we ask: keep the health facts unchanged. If you want to adapt something and are not sure, just contact us.

Yes — they are part of the toolkit precisely so you can use them for your event and your community. Please use them as provided: do not redraw or alter the symbol, and do not use it to suggest endorsement of a commercial product, service or treatment.

Yes. The campaign toolkit — the logo and symbol, posters, social templates, plain-language facts and a step-by-step hosting guide — is completely free for schools, libraries, workplaces, clubs, organisations and families. Download it, print it, share it.

The site and toolkit are currently in English. Cancer Literacy Day is designed to travel across Europe, so the materials are deliberately simple to translate and adapt locally.

If you would like to translate them for your community, we would love to hear from you — get in touch via the contact page.