Pledge to Make Healthier Choices on World Cancer Day

Show your support for World Cancer Day on February 4, 2012, by pledging to make healthier choices through the use of social media applications dedicated to the cause.

1 in 3 cancer deaths can be prevented through altering lifestyle habits, and a new initiative is aiming to spread the word about cancer prevention via the Internet. Supported by the alliance between Stand Up To Cancer and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), World Cancer Day seeks to gain virtual participants by rally the entire online community and gain virtual participants to support the cause of cancer prevention on Saturday, February 4, 2012.

The 2012 World Cancer Day initiative will “operate with a mission to collect pledges of individual lifestyle changes, as opposed to strictly monetary funds, and will encourage participants to commit to healthy choices via social media outlets,” according to the alliance.

The campaign is supported by ABC News Special Correspondent Katie Couric, who is a co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer.

“We are all affected by cancer; the disease will claim nearly eight million lives this year. On World Cancer Day, we can unite people globally to take a stand against it through social media,” Couric said. “Pledge to make healthy lifestyle choices that will reduce your own risk, help friends and family mamebers do that, or support a non-profit organization involved in the fight. Working together, we can end cancer’s reign as the leading cause of death.”

Members of the public can show their support for this cause by “donating their Facebook status” with a dedicated 2012 World Cancer Day application or by posting on Twitter under the trending topic #WorldCancerDay. For more details, visit the World Cancer Day Web site.