‘Make notification of all cancer cases mandatory’
CANCER campaigners are looking to the new government to introduce long-awaited measures to combat the disease, as they prepare to mark tomorrow’s World Cancer Day with a series of events — and the date was announced for a key fundraiser to boost medical research.
Help Those With Cancer Association (Tulips) founder and head Raziye Kocaismail said she hoped the new four-party coalition would enforce legislation making notification of all cases of the disease mandatory.
“This is the first step towards . . . fighting this illness, meaning we will know how many diagnoses have been made in which areas, and which type of cancer patients have,” said Mrs Kocaismail.
“I will be calling on the Cabinet to enact this law immediately, to be followed by starting up cancer mapping and having a cancer consultation board to work with data.”
Meanwhile, she added, “although we are thankful for the new Oncology Centre, with its specialists . . . we would like to see a new hospital with a greater patient capacity, as the centre does not have as many beds as it should”.
Her comments came as it was announced that Tulips would benefit from a Turkish classical music concert being held at 8pm tomorrow at Near East University’s Atatürk Culture and Congress Centre, and featuring Hüner Coşkuner and Cem Kafkas. Tickets cost 25TL on the door.
Two exhibitions follow in aid of the charity, both opening on Monday. “First lady” Meral Akıncı will launch the first, at the capital’s Bedestan, at 5pm. The Colours and Marks Karma Exhibition, featuring a range of drawings, paintings and photographs, will remain open until Wednesday.
Meanwhile the İsmet Vehit Güney Gallery in Lefkoşa will host a display of artworks by Mine Egemen and Musa Kocatepe. The show opens at 7pm and continues until Friday.
Entry to both exhibitions is free, with viewing from 8am to 5pm, and proceeds from the sale of the works will go to Tulips.
It was also announced this week that the 15th Orchid Walk, organised jointly by the UK’s Pro Cancer Research Fund (PCRF) and the TRNC’s Cancer Research Fund (KAV), will take place on Sunday, March 11.
Charity head Professor Mustafa Djamgöz, a researcher at Imperial College London, revealed the date for the fundraiser, which will follow a 9km route from Kozanköy to Karşıyaka and is this year sponsored by mobile phone provider Telsim, Lemar Supermarkets, Play FM and Big Rent Trading Bigibox.
Making the announcement, Prof Djamgöz said cancer had become “an inevitable part of modern life”, with half of women and one in three men likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
He said he would update Orchid Walk participants on his latest work, which includes investigating prospects for the first new drug therapy to be developed in 27 years.
Cyprus Today reported in October that he was aiming to start clinical trials this year on medication which he hoped could prevent cancer from coming back or spreading, making it a “chronic disease”.
Telsim deputy director-general Fevzi Tanpınar said his company would be supporting awarenessraising events this year under the slogan No Stepping Back Against Cancer, and underlined the need to inform people of the importance of the quality of food and drink they consume and the air they breathe.
Tickets for the Orchid Walk are available at 35TL from all Deniz Plaza branches and Telsim branches in Lefkoşa — at Ortaköy, Girne Gate and Dereboyu — Girne, Gazimağusa Sakarya, Güzelyurt and İskele. Participants can also enter a post-walk raffle by sending their ticket number to 0548 855 1515. Buses will be laid on to transport walkers to and from Gazimağusa, Kalkanlı, Güzelyurt, Lefkoşa and Karaoğlanoğlu.