Reception for the Union for International Cancer Control

Representatives from the Union for International Cancer Control and Queensland councils and universities; ladies and gentlemen.

Good afternoon, Kaye and I are delighted to welcome you all to Government House.

On behalf of the people of Queensland, I extend a particularly warm welcome to Her Royal Highness, Princess Dina Mired of Jordan.

Her Royal Highness visits Brisbane in her capacity as President of the Union of International Cancer Control, a title that reflects her tireless commitment to raising awareness and understanding of cancer throughout the developing world.

Cancer is a global ‘burden’, sadly an unexpected incident of life, an everyday incidence underscored by a countless number of heartbreaking personal stories.

It accounts for almost 9 million deaths around the world annually.

Each year almost 30,000 Queenslanders are diagnosed with some form of cancer.

In Asia it is estimated that 8.1 million people will die of the disease by 2020.

Some 75 per cent of these people will be unable to face the huge medical care costs within their first year of diagnosis.

Such statistics are shocking.

But they serve to highlight why the work of the Union of International Cancer Control is so vital.

One hundred organisations in 160 countries – that is an extraordinary brains trust of global citizens committed to the unification and advocacy of the cancer community.

The UICC uses opportunities such as World Cancer Day and the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit to promote a continued focus on raising cancer’s priority on the global health and development agenda.

The World Cancer Congress, which convened just a few weeks ago in Kuala Lumpur, brought together thousands of health and cancer experts to collaborate on ways to further combat the disease and its devastating effects.

The ongoing benefits of this work are far-reaching and potentially life-changing.

I thank all of you here this afternoon for the role you play in keeping cancer on the agendas of organisations across the world, as well as your efforts in community outreach and engagement.

Knowledge, as they say, is power.

Indeed, when it comes to cancer control – be it in the fields of research, policy-making or management – the sharing and transfer of knowledge is the most powerful weapon there is.

I applaud the UICC for its outstanding leadership in this fight.