Celebrity | 22 June 2017 10:10 CET

Juliet Ibrahim Emerges Global Ambassador For the First-Ever World Kidney Day

Kidney cancer is a serious disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. However, very few people in West Africa know even the basics about kidney cancer – what causes it, how to prevent it, or why it’s on the rise.

The global incidence of kidney cancer is predicted to rise by a shocking 22 percent by 2020. Populations are aging, known risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure are increasing, and smoking continues to be prevalent in many parts of the world. In fact, in Nigeria and Ghana, quite a number of people have been diagnosed with the disease this year alone. When it’s caught early, kidney cancer can be treated, but in advanced stages, kidney cancer is still a lethal disease in search of better answers.

That is why the JulietIbrahim Foundation is joining forces with kidney cancer organisations around the world to mark the first-ever World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day. On June 22, patients, carers, health care professionals and local organisations across [insert country / region] and worldwide will be uniting to raise awareness for the disease.

“Making a significant difference in the lives of patients starts by increasing awareness – knowing the symptoms, knowing treatment options and knowing where to find support,” says IKCC Global Ambassador for World Kidney Cancer Q & A Campaign, Juliet Ibrahim. “Medical experts agree there is an opportunity for global collaboration to raise awareness about kidney cancer – because when we all work together we are stronger and can have a greater impact than we can alone.”

World Kidney Cancer Q&A Quiz
As part of the World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day, the International Kidney Cancer Coalition has launched the World Kidney Cancer Day Q&A Quiz. It’s an interactive, seven-question quiz that test what you know – and what you need to know – about kidney cancer. Since the Quiz was launched, several people have taken the Quiz and results show a strong need for greater public awareness.

“Despite the effect kidney cancer has on patients and health care systems around the globe, it is a little-known type of cancer with many unanswered questions related to prevention, risk factors, treatment practices and widening gaps in mortality rates,” says Dr. Rachel Giles, Chair, International Kidney Cancer Coalition. “Not only will the quiz help teach people more about the disease, but the funds raised will be directed to a high-priority research project that will benefit patients worldwide.”

For every quiz that’s completed online, $5 will be donated to help find answers to vital questions about kidney cancer. The quiz is available in a variety of languages, including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Polish, Greek and Arabic.

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