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Brussels fights breast cancer by becoming a Pink City
Cities that put extra effort into the health of their residents can often enjoy plenty of benefits from these actions. The city with healthier residents is often more productive which turns into higher tax revenues, the effort eases the pressure on the city’s healthcare system, as well as its costs, and most importantly – it helps the citizens lead healthier, happier lives.
One of the ways that cities can help the healthcare of their citizens is by raising awareness of some of the most common health problems, and how to deal with them. Mayor of Brussels Philippe Close joined a number of other Belgian cities earlier this month by signing an agreement with the Belgian breast cancer campaign Think Pink, which will see the city get the status of a “Pink City” for the next three years.
As a pink city, Brussels will raise awareness about breast cancer and launch prevention and education campaigns, among other things. The city will promote self-examination and breast cancer screening through the media and public hospitals with the aim of increasing awareness among citizens and municipal staff. In addition, Brussels will help Think Pink to promote its campaigns in schools as well as cultural and sports venues, and co-organise events with Think Pink each year. City authorities stressed that Brussels is committed to the fight against breast cancer.
Mayor Close and Lydia Mutyebele Ngoi, Brussels alderman for equal opportunities, pointed out at the signing of the document with Think Pink that “the City of Brussels intends to actively raise awareness among all of its population of the importance of being screened and carrying out self-examinations regularly.” The city is the 11th local government unit in the regions of Brussels and Wallonia to get the Pink City label, which can be renewed after three years.
Breast cancer affects roughly one in eight Belgian women, with more than 10,000 cases diagnosed in the country in 2020. Thanks to advancements in medicine, approximately nine out of ten patients are cancer-free after five years of treatment if cancer was diagnosed quickly. At the same time, roughly 30% of women never get tested, which is why Brussels authorities decided to join the awareness campaign, with the goal to stem the spread of this disease among the city’s female residents.
(Photo credit: City of Brussels)
