Get involved this World Cancer Day 2026: United by Unique

On the occasion of World Cancer Day on February 4, 2026, the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC) is once again joining forces with the global cancer community to raise awareness. This year, under the theme “United by Unique”, we invite everyone to shine a spotlight on bladder cancer and advocate for equitable, people-centred care for all. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and is now in the second year of a three-year campaign focusing on people-centred care.

The United by Unique theme highlights that while every cancer journey is different, we are all united in the ambition to lower the cancer burden and improve lives. By placing patients and their stories at the heart of cancer care, this approach fosters compassion and empathy in meeting individual needs – leading to better outcomes for everyone.

For World Cancer Day 2026, the campaign is going a step further. Building on last year’s focus on storytelling, this year is about turning those stories into catalysts for change. The 2026 campaign explores what needs to change to achieve truly people-centred care – gathering personal stories that reveal challenges and barriers in today’s cancer care, helping to shift the conversation, highlight gaps, and change how care is viewed.

How can you make a difference?

Whether you are a patient, survivor, caregiver, or advocate, everyone can play a part in World Cancer Day 2026. Here are some ways you can get involved and help make an impact:

• Share your story: Your voice matters. Share your personal experience with cancer or cancer care as part of the “United by Unique” campaign. Your story can help highlight the need for equitable, people-centred care worldwide. Contribute your story on the World Cancer Day platform and let others learn from your unique perspective.
• Participate in the #UpsideDownChallenge: Take part in this engaging challenge to show your support for people-centred care. Flip a picture or video of yourself upside down on social media – symbolising how cancer can turn someone’s world upside down and share it with the world. Include a caption or message about your experience and tag a few friends to do the same. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #UnitedByUnique and #WorldCancerDay to spread the message far and wide, and tag @WorldCancerDay so the UICC team can see and share your post.
• Host or join an event: From community workshops and educational webinars to charity runs and yoga sessions, there are countless ways to get involved locally. Consider hosting an event (either in-person or virtual) or joining one in your community. Be sure to add your activity to the official World Cancer Day Map of Impact to showcase what you’re doing and inspire others to take action.
• Advocate for change: Use your voice to call for better cancer care policies. Urge governments and institutions to champion people-centred care by ensuring equitable access to high-quality cancer services for everyone. You can draw attention to the inequities and obstacles bladder cancer patients face – for example, disparities in diagnosis, treatment availability, or financial support – and demand action to address these gaps. World Cancer Day provides advocacy resources and toolkits to help you engage policymakers and spread the message.
• Light up landmarks: Help turn the world orange and blue (the colors of World Cancer Day) on February 4th. Join the global effort to illuminate iconic buildings, monuments, or even your own home in orange and blue light as a symbol of solidarity and hope. Last year, landmarks around the world from city bridges to national monuments, glowed in support of the cause. If you plan to light up a landmark, get in touch with the UICC team for guidance and to have your illumination included in the World Cancer Day celebrations.
• Spread the word: Raising awareness is key to advancing people-centred cancer care. Download the free World Cancer Day campaign materials: including infographics, fact sheets, and ready-to-use social media graphics. Share these materials within your network, whether online or in person.

To further spread the word and raise awareness, we have created a variety of social media resources that you can use and share with your network. By using these resources, you will be joining the campaign and also helping us draw attention to the inequities that exist in bladder cancer patient care experiences around the world.

For more information about the global campaign, resources, and events, visit the World Cancer Day website. WBCPC is proud to support this initiative and we encourage you to get involved in any way you can.