CDC: Cancer Prevention Starts in Childhood
As summer’s heat records finally take a fall break, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) latest awareness campaign (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/cancerandchildren/index.htm) reminds parents about some simple strategies to start now to support their children’s health and lower their risk for cancer later in life.
CDC is on the forefront of public health, raising awareness of cancer prevention measures through its Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/index.htm). Today’s tips include:
- Adhering to human papillomavirus vaccination recommendations (https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.html) at 11–12 years
- Following sun safety strategies (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm) to prevent serious sunburns
- Staying active to achieve and maintain a healthy weight (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/children/)
- Preventing youth tobacco use (https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/) by talking to kids about smoking
Nurses are the most trusted profession, and families recognize your strong voice when you share this information. Recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September (https://www.acco.org/childhood-cancer-awareness-month) by promoting cancer preventions strategies for the kids in your community, your patients’ families, and beyond.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology has a helpful resource for parents to talk to their children about preventing cancer (https://www.cancer.net/blog/2022-07/how-talk-your-kids-about-ways-prevent-cancer), including specific scripts for each of the CDC’s key recommendations that are tailored to a child’s age.