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Child Rights Information & Documentation Centre (CRIDOC)

Off Paul Kagame Road, Behind Immigration Department P. O. Box 3247, Lilongwe, Malawi Tel: +265111731646 Cell: +265999272936 E-mail: info@cridoc.net Website: www.cridoc.net

For immediate Release CRIDOC DEDICATES WORLD CANCER DAY TO THE FALLEN MEDIA WHIZZ, MAYESO CHIRWA Today, 4th February 2012 is World Cancer Day. It is marked on this day every year to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day targets the public through global communications, and encourages policy makers and UICC member organisations to make cancer a political priority. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells. It can affect almost any part of the body. The growths often invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding exposure to common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured, by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early. As we commemorate this years World Cancer Day, on the part of the Child Rights Information and Documentation Centre (CRIDOC), we have been grief-stricken to receive news of death of one of the Malawis seasoned journalists who succumbed to cancer in the wee hours of Friday, 3 February 2012. Mayeso Chirwa, who until his death was Information Specialist at the American Embassy, died at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. We wish we could find words in which to express our sorrow at the loss of Mayeso. May his family have the strength to bear this great affliction. In the death of Mayeso, we have lost one whom it was our privilege to call our friend and colleague. CRIDOC enjoyed good working relationship with both Mayeso and the US Embassy, through the USAIDs Self-Help Projects, which funded CRIDOC towards the construction of a library and teachers office at Chimvite Primary School in Lilongwe Rural South West. We view the project, scheduled to be officially unveiled by the US Ambassador later this month, as an epitome of hard work, diligence and commitment of the staff at USAID and the Embassy towards the fulfilment of the broader development agenda for Malawi. It is for this reason that we dedicate this year World Cancer Day to the fallen dedicated staff of the Embassy, Mayeso, who was among the over 600,000 people that died of cancer worldwide since January this year alone, according to WHO estimates. Ironically, many of these deaths can be avoided with increased governmental support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes. Unless urgent action is taken to raise awareness and develop practical strategies to address the disease, millions of people globally will continue to die prematurely from the disease. It is when every person, organisation, and government, individually play their respective roles, that the world will be able to reduce the global cancer burden. Because together it is possible! In Solidarity! Signed: George Mwika Kayange EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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