Almost half of all cancers can be prevented which is why the Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta is issuing a call for applications encouraging young people to become ambassadors for the European Code against Cancer.

This code is a European Commission initiative geared to inform people about the actions they can take for themselves and their families to reduce their risk of cancer.

It consists of 12 recommendations people can follow to prevent this disease – the more they follow, the lower their risk of cancer.

With this in mind, the European Cancer League, of which the Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta is a member, initiated an international network of ambitious public health enthusiasts as Youth Ambassadors. This followed discussions about the most appropriate ways to disseminate and promote this code among European youth.

Communicating positive health messages to people from a young age is crucial to instil health-supporting behaviours that will last across the course of their life. 

The task of a Youth Ambassador is to ensure effective dissemination of the European Code against Cancer. Those chosen, will be provided with training opportunities to master their health promotion skills and broaden their knowledge of cancer prevention.

They will also be given administrative and financial assistance for projects and campaigns aimed at promoting cancer prevention messages to their peers and the public. 

The Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta is inviting interested persons aged between 18 and 35 to apply to be a Youth Ambassador for Malta by sending an email on info@ecrfmalta.com by March 22, 2021.

12 ways to reduce cancer risk

1. Do not smoke. Do not use any form of tobacco.
2. Make your home smoke free. Support smoke-free policies in your workplace.
3. Take action to be a healthy body weight.
4. Be physically active in everyday life. Limit the time you spend sitting.
5. Have a healthy diet:
   1. Eat plenty of whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits.
   1. Limit high-calorie foods (foods high in sugar or fat) and avoid sugary drinks.
   1. Avoid processed meat; limit red meat and foods high in salt.
6. If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention.
7. Avoid too much sun, especially for children. Use sun protection. Do not use sunbeds.
8. In the workplace, protect yourself against cancer-causing substances by following health and safety instructions.
9. Find out if you are exposed to radiation from naturally high radon levels in your home. Take action to reduce high radon levels.
10. For women:
    1. Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s cancer risk. If you can, breastfeed your baby.
    1. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the risk of certain cancers. Limit use of HRT.
11. Ensure your children take part in vaccination programmes for:
    1. Hepatitis B (for newborns)
    1. Human papillomavirus (HPV) (for girls).
12. Take part in organised cancer screening programmes for:
    1. Bowel cancer (men and women)
    1. Breast cancer (women)
    1. Cervical cancer(women).

Sejħa għall żgħażagħ biex isiru ambaxxaturi fil-ġlieda kontra l-kanċer

Kważi nofs il-każijiet tal-kanċer jistgħu jiġu evitati u huwa għalhekk li l-Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta qed toħroġ sejħa għal applikazzjonijiet li tinkoraġġixxi liż-żgħażagħ isiru ambaxxaturi għall-Kodiċi Ewropew kontra l-Kanċer.

Dan il-kodiċi huwa inizjattiva tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea maħsuba biex tinforma lin-nies dwar l-azzjonijiet li jistgħu jieħdu għalihom u għall-familji tagħhom biex inaqqsu r-riskju tagħhom tal-kanċer.

Il-kodiċi jikkonsisti fi 12-il rakkomandazzjoni li n-nies jistgħu jsegwu biex jipprevjenu din il-marda – iktar ma jsegwu minn dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet, inqas ikun ir-riskju tagħhom ta’ kanċer. [Ara isfel]

B’dan l-għan, il-Lega Ewropea tal-Kanċer, li tagħha l-Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta hija membru, bdiet netwerk internazzjonali ta’ żgħażagħ interressati fis-saħħa pubblika bħala Ambaxxaturi taż-Żgħażagħ. Dan sar wara diskussjonijiet dwar l-aktar modi xierqa biex ixerrdu u jippromwovu dan il-kodiċi fost iż-żgħażagħ Ewropej.

Il-komunikazzjoni ta’ messaġġi pożittivi dwar is-saħħa lil persuni minn età żgħira hija kruċjali biex tiddaħħal imġieba li ssostni s-saħħa matul il-ħajja kollha.

Il-rwol ta ‘Ambaxxatur taż-Żgħażagħ huwa li jiżgura disseminazzjoni effettiva tal-Kodiċi Ewropew kontra l-Kanċer. Dawk magħżula, se jingħataw opportunitajiet ta’ taħriġ biex itejbu  il-ħiliet tagħhom fil-promozzjoni tas-saħħa u jwessgħu l-għarfien tagħhom dwar il-prevenzjoni tal-kanċer.

Huma se jingħataw ukoll għajnuna amministrattiva u finanzjarja għal proġetti u kampanji mmirati biex jippromwovu messaġġi dwar il-prevenzjoni tal-kanċer lil sħabhom u lill-pubbliku.

Il-Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta qed tistieden persuni interessati ta’ bejn it-18 u l-35 sena biex japplikaw biex ikunu Ambaxxatur taż-Żgħażagħ għal Malta billi jibagħtu email fuq info@ecrfmalta.com sat-22 ta’ Marzu, 2021.

12-il mod kif tnaqqas ir-riskju tal-kanċer

1. Tpejjipx. Tużax l-ebda forma ta’ tabakk.
2. Tpejjipx fid-dar tiegħek.  Jeħtieġ appoġġ politiki sħiħ kontra t-tipjip fuq il-post tax-xogħol.
3. Żomm piż tajjeb għalik.
4. Kun fiżikament attiv fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum. Illimita l-ħin li tqatta’ bilqiegħda.
5. Żomm dieta tajba għas-saħħa billi:
   1. tiekol ħafna whole grains, legumi, ħaxix u frott.
   1. illimita ikel b’ħafna kaloriji (ikel b’ħafna zokkor jew xaħam) u evita xorb biz-zokkor.
   1. tevita laħam ipproċessat; tillimita laħam aħmar u ikel b’ħafna melħ.
6. Jekk tixrob alkoħol ta’ kwalunkwe tip, illimita l-konsum tiegħek. Li ma tixrobx alkoħol huwa aħjar għall-prevenzjoni tal-kanċer.
7. Evita x-xemx, speċjalment għat-tfal. Uża protezzjoni mix-xemx. Tużax sunbeds.
8. Fil-post tax-xogħol, ipproteġi lilek innifsek kontra sustanzi li jikkawżaw il-kanċer billi ssegwi l-istruzzjonijiet ta’ saħħa u sigurtà.
9. Ara jekk intix espost għal radjazzjoni minn livelli ta’ radon naturalment għoljin f’darek. Ħu azzjoni biex tnaqqas il-livelli għoljin tar-radon.
10. Għan-nisa:
    1. Breastfeeding inaqqas ir-riskju tal-kanċer tal-omm. Jekk tista ‘, tredda’ lit-tarbija tiegħek.
    1. Il-Hormone Replacement Therapy iżżid ir-riskju ta’ ċerti kanċers. Limita l-użu tal-HRT.
11. Kun żgur li tlaqqam lil uliedek jieħdu sehem fi programmi ta’ tilqim għal:
    1. Epatite B (għal trabi tat-twelid)
    1. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (għall-bniet).
12. Ħu sehem fi programmi organizzati ta’ screening tal-kanċer għal:
    1. Kanċer tal-musrana (irġiel u nisa)
    1. Kanċer tas-sider (nisa)
    1. Kanċer ċervikali (nisa).