Press Release

World Day of the Sick: COMECE welcomes EU plan against cancer

On the occasion of last week’s World Day of the Sick, COMECE welcomes “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan”, recently launched by the European Commission to propose actions for all stages of the disease. Pope Francis: “solidarity, subsidiarity […] and cooperation to ensure that everyone has access to suitable treatments for preserving and restoring their health”.

2018 Visit to the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital. (Credit: Vatican Media)

Recent statistics show that every year, in the European Union, 3.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer, and 1,3 million of them die. This situation is particularly alarming, also in consideration of the fact that 40% of the people living in the EU are at risk of cancer in their lifetime.

To face this situation, on Tuesday 4 February 2020, the European Commission launched “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan”, proposing concrete actions to take at all stages of the disease: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of the patients and survivors.

In his message on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis expressed his hope for efforts ensuring access to suitable treatments for all. He reminded that “treatment, research, care and rehabilitation are always in the service of the sick person”.

Addressing healthcare institutions and government leaders from across the entire globe, the Pope also urged them “not to neglect social justice out of a preoccupation for financial concerns”. COMECE plans to contribute to the future discussion on the EU Commission’s Plan, emphasising the features highlighted by Pope Francis.