PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami, and PL MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant, who have both battled cancer, had words to share on the occasion on World Cancer Day.

“We must accept that that we have an illness and must have the courage and determination to fight it. I am aware that there are those fighting who are in a bleak situation. Many a time, we hear success stories of those overcoming cancer but in reality, there are many who do not make it. My heart goes out to those people and their families,” Dr Fenech Adami said.

“We must take care of those fighting everyday and not just today, on World Cancer day. We must constantly renew our determination and our constant support of those who are ill. We must fight to always find the best treatment possible, keep working to find a cure and make life as comfortable as possible for those battling cancer”.

Dr Alfred Sant argues that “Cancer kills, but also demoralises patients and families. It's a big shock to learn one has got cancer, and depending on the extent to which the disease has progressed, a mind numbing one”.

“The answer is not to give up, accept that it's a tough fight, which can be very painful, and go head on to do all that's necessary to push it back. This means having full confidence in what your doctors tell you; they've seen lots of it, at best if you're lucky, you only have seen one, yours. Fight it out step by step, it’s a process”.

“My best wishes go to all those involved in the fight against cancer; beyond the patients themselves, to their families, to all medical staff which afford them treatment and not least to those voluntary and professional organizations that provide support for patients,” Dr Sant said.

“Finally, we, as a society, need to further invest in those activities that  promote prevention, which is key to allowing those people under threat to know at the earliest moment about their problem and therefore be in the best position to overcome it”.