Did you know that there are nearly 100 more cancer cases per 100,000 population in the city of Manchester compared to the UK average, and that Manchester residents are more likely to die from cancer than anywhere else in the UK?

However, despite these gloomy statistics Manchester is leading a successful fightback against the disease. Having chosen cancer as one of the University’s five research beacons, the recent £42m of investment from Cancer Research UK has highlighted how Manchester is now firmly established among the world’s research elite for finding new treatments and prevention strategies for this disease.

To mark World Cancer Day 2017 the University is leading on the delivery of a public engagement event to inform and inspire the University community and the public, and to highlight the world-class, interdisciplinary research that we undertake and show its impact, both in Manchester and beyond. The event will support the University’s key focus on prevention and early detection, and key research partners have been invited to join us on campus to highlight how we are collectively fighting cancer and to highlight our central role in research activity.

It will be attended by a number of different cancer care professionals, including cancer awareness nurses, and we are inviting staff, students and members of the public to come and find out how we can all do our part to reduce the global burden of cancer though lifestyle changes and learn how simple behavior changes are amongst the most effective ways of combatting the disease. You can also meet scientists and get hands on with the research leading advances in personalised medicine, targeted treatment and immunotherapy and find out how small lifestyle changes can help to reduce your cancer risk.

World Cancer Day is a chance to reflect on what you can do to make a difference to the fight against cancer. This event will take place in University Place on Friday 3 February 2017 from 11am-2pm