This March, EMJ Supports

Written by Kim Cordell  |  Product Development Administrator, European Medical Journal  |  @EMJ_Kim

This March, EMJ has proudly showcased its support for an assortment of medical campaigns including: Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, World Kidney Day, Brain Awareness Week, and World Tuberculosis (TB) Day.

Running throughout the month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month has focussed on encouraging members of the public to make noises about the disease, with research showing that only “4% of women in the UK are very confident about recognising a symptom of ovarian cancer.”¹ As the chances of survival for ovarian cancer doubles from 46% to >90% for 5 years post-diagnosis when caught at its earliest stage,² we must use this positive advancement to encourage each other to support charities working hard to raise awareness of medical conditions, and take time to recognise the symptoms of such diseases.

This month has also played host to World Kidney Day, held this year on the 9^th March as a global awareness day campaigning for people to recognise the importance of kidney health, and to “reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.”³ Leading the UK campaign and concentrating on the theme of kidney disease and obesity was the British Kidney Patient Association (BKPA), Kids Kidney Research, Kidney Research UK, The National Kidney Federation (NKF), and The Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Charity UK, encouraging members of the public to protect their kidneys before disease takes hold, and assisting those already suffering from kidney conditions.

The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) has also campaigned this month, with Brain Awareness Week running between the 13^th and 19^th of March. Whilst celebrating the incredible abilities of the brain, Brain Awareness Week has also promoted the progress and benefits of neurological research.

Last, but certainly not least for the medical campaigns EMJ has supported this month, is World TB Day which took place on the 24^th March. Honouring the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced the cause of tuberculosis: the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis,⁴World TB day allows us to recognise that almost 140 years since the discovery, the disease remains an epidemic in a large part of the world and is in need of continual attention.

References

1. Target Ovarian Cancer. Pathfinder 2016: Awareness of the symptoms. 2016. Available at: http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/our-campaigns/pathfinder-2016/pathfinder-2016-transforming-futures-women-ovarian-cancer/pathfinder-1. Last accessed: 16 March 2017.
2. Target Ovarian Cancer. March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Available at: http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/march-ovarian-cancer-awareness-month. Last accessed: 16 March 2017.
3. World Kidney Day. World Kidney Day. Available at: http://www.worldkidneyday.org/about/world-kidney-day/. Last accessed: 16 March 2017.
4. Stop TB Partnership. World TB Day. Available at: http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/. Last accessed: 16 March 2017.