Public education and disease prevention

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FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer has a programme of Public Education and Disease Prevention for the general public in order to make people aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle in reducing the risk of cancer, as stated in the European Code Against Cancer.

Setmana Catalana de la Prevenció del Càncer (Cancer Prevention Week in Catalonia) (SECAPC)

Each year, FECEC organises the Setmana Catalana de la Prevenció del Càncer (SECPAC), which involves dozens of events throughout Catalonia. The aim of SECPAC is to disseminate the recommendations of the European Code Against Cancer to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the risk of cancer: a healthy diet, avoiding overweight and obesity, daily moderate exercise. SECAPC’s tagline is #menjasaimoute (#eatandmove).

Those activities include healthy eating workshops for adults, in-person and online talks, public education and awareness-raising through FECEC’s website and social media, activities in schools for children, etc.
Member organisations and their volunteers are involved in organising SECAPC activities throughout Catalonia.

Public education talks

FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer organises public educational talks in different formats. The talks are intended for the general public, patients and family members of people living with cancer. Public education talks address different aspects of cancer, from disease prevention and diagnosis to treatment and life after cancer.

These talks are delivered in person, online and via streaming on YouTube and Instagram Live.

FECEC 20-year Cycle: Cancer: now and in the future

A cycle entitled ‘FECEC Dialogues:cancer – before and after’

Sun protection campaign

FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer has a Sun protection campaign in the summer months each year to raise awareness among the general public of skin cancer. The principal themes of’ the campaign are:

To make people aware of the importance of protecting themselves against the sun to prevent skin cancer; to share the risks from exposure to the sun (melanoma, vision problems…) and how to prevent those risks; to make the general public aware that everyone has a cancer risk and that preventing the disease is an individual responsibility; and, to provide information about the short-term effects of exposure to the sun on our appearance (ageing and loss of elasticity of the skin, spots on our faces, wrinkles…).

No Smoking Week

Setmana Sense Fum (No Smoking Week) was originally introduced by the Society for Family and Community Medicine in Spain (semFYC) and they run the No Smoking Primary Care Programme in Catalonia within the framework of SumaSalut (AIFCC, CAMFiC and ASPCAT). During No Smoking Week there is a range of events involving diverse bodies and organisations, including FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer.

Nassos contra el càncer (The Man with Many Noses against Cancer) campaign

FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer’s ‘Nassos contra el càncer’ campaign is aimed at people running in the Sant Silvestre races that take place every year in towns and villages round Catalonia at the end of December. The races are also called Cursa dels Nassos (Races of the Man with Many Noses) in reference to ‘Nassos’ a mysterious mythical figure who appears at the end of the year and who has one nose for each day of the year.

As well as being sporting and a way of promoting a healthy lifestyle, these events have become fund-raisers for FECEC and its member organisations through people signing up for the race. Money from race numbers goes to FECEC and support activities promoted by FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer and its member organisations. The campaign is made possible by the work of volunteers in member organisations.

‘Posem-li pebrots al càncer’ (Balls to Cancer)

This FECEC campaign is a collaboration with the Condis supermarket chain. ‘Posem-li pebrots al càncer’ (Balls to cancer) involves selling bags of peppers to customers of the chain at a notional price of one and a half euros. The name works because in Catalan, ‘pebrots’ (peppers) is a euphemism for testicles used in mild oaths.

The aim of the campaign is to build up support for people living with cancer, make the general public of the work that FECEC’s member organisations do to support people with cancer, and raise money to continue to support care and support programmers for patients and their families.

The campaign relies on the essential work of volunteers in the member organisations of FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer.

World Cancer Day

4 February: World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer leads the event in Catalonia. The aim is to raise awareness worldwide of cancer, particularly cancer prevention, and to encourage governments and individuals in every country to take measures to fight against cancer.

The motto for 2022-2024 is ‘Close the Care Gap’

Under that motto, the campaign seeks to raise awareness about inequalities in access to oncological care around the world.

Other days that FECEC, Junts contra el Càncer participates in to raise public awareness of cancer:

31 March: World Colorectal Cancer Day
25- 31 May: European Week Against Cancer
11 June: World Prostate Cancer Awaraness Day

13 June: World Skin Cancer Awareness Day
17 November: International Lung Cancer Awareness Day
19 October: International Breast Cancer Awareness Day