Patients Come First: World Cancer Day and Every Day

Gissoo DeCotiis, Advocacy Relations, Bayer Oncology

Cancer is not just a diagnosis, but rather a life-changing event that touches so many lives around the world. This year alone, nearly 8 million people will die of cancer, and left unchecked, the number of deaths will increase to 13.2 million per year by 2030. Yet despite this somber statistic, there is cause for hope.

World Cancer Day was established as a moment each year when everyone — as a collective or as individuals — can play their part in inspiring action in the fight against cancer. This day is important to elevate awareness of the global burden of cancer and the urgent need for action to save lives.

At Bayer, it’s also a time to honor the strength and courage that patients around the world show every day. On February 4, patients, family and friends, caregivers, doctors, and researchers, come together to show the power of community — with the rallying theme “We Can. I Can.”

I came to Bayer after my brother passed away from cancer and I promised to help establish a process within Bayer for the patient’s voice to be heard. To me, this is an important moment to show patients encouragement and let them know they are not alone. I know first-hand that a diagnosis affects those fighting cancers and everyone around them. That’s why at Bayer Oncology, we work closely with our advocacy partners and any likeminded stakeholder to incorporate patient voices in everything we do and to understand their needs as they come to terms with their illness. Bayer commemorates World Cancer Day each year by raising awareness of the cancer burden and commits to taking action against it by continuing to advance our diverse oncology portfolios with the goal of “Science for a Better Life.”

To date, Bayer’s therapies have administered to more than 700,000 patients worldwide. This enables us to gear our research and development to these needs and to continue working on potential new drugs and existing therapies. Bayer knows that change is not only made in a research lab — but that patient programs and partnerships are the keys to fulfilling our ultimate goal of improving the lives of patients. We greatly value the advocacy community, knowing that by working together we can better support cancer patients, making a difference for them and their families.

I’m proud to be a part of a team that is motivated by what matters most to the cancer community and patients. With that in mind, it is critical to understand patient needs and empower them to become more aware of risk factors, signs of disease progression and encourage them to have meaningful conversations with their doctors.

This World Cancer Day, let’s remember who truly matters.