White House declares April 2024 as Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kyra Meister
kyra.meister@preventcancer.org
703-836-1746
Alexandria, Va. – The White House today issued an official presidential proclamation declaring April 2024 as the inaugural National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month. The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is grateful to President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for recognizing the importance of expanding access to cancer screenings, enabling healthy life habits, stopping more cancers before they start and driving new innovations to create a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
In the administration’s official announcement, President Biden shares, “It is important for every American to know that cancer screenings are lifesaving — early detection can make all the difference in beating the disease.” The administration emphasizes its work to ensure every American can prevent or detect cancer early through raising awareness of the risk factors, promoting and increasing access to routine screenings and expanding access to affordable cancer care.
The president also highlighted how many families are impacted by cancer, including his. “Beating cancer is personal to my family, as it is to millions of families across America and around the world,” he said.
The designation of National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Prevent Cancer Foundation and supported by 84 organizations. This awareness month is a critical step toward reducing the impact of cancer on individuals, families and communities across the U.S.
“I’m immensely proud of the Foundation for leading a herculean effort in partnership with the White House Cancer Moonshot team to officially recognize April 2024 as the first-ever National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month,” says Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. “We hope it serves an important reminder to the public that they have the power to take charge of their health with lifestyle changes and routine screenings, because early detection equals better outcomes.”
During the month of April, advocates, partners, health care professionals and organizations will recognize National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month by:
- Raising awareness: Educating the public about the importance of cancer prevention and early detection through healthy behaviors and routine screenings.
- Inspiring action: Empowering individuals to take control of their health by adopting healthier behaviors and getting routine screenings and encouraging corporations and organizations to support their employees in these actions.
- Mobilizing resources: Encouraging public and private investment in cancer prevention and early detection initiatives, leading to improved health outcomes and reduced health care costs.
- Highlighting progress: Celebrating the tremendous progress made in cancer research and the development of innovative prevention and early detection strategies driven forward by the Cancer Moonshot.
“The Prevent Cancer Foundation couldn’t be more grateful for the administration’s commitment to this important cause,” says Caitlin Kubler, Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy. “This recognition gives us an opportunity to honor the efforts of those working tirelessly to better the health of all people, and also sends a clear message that the U.S. is dedicated to reducing the cancer burden in our nation and around the world.”
The Prevent Cancer Foundation encourages individuals and communities to join them in raising awareness throughout April. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more and get involved.
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About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated. We are driven by a vision of a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options.
For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.