FIGHTING CANCER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 890, 6 February 1930, Page 7

FIGHTING CANCER

CAMPAIGN SOCIETY MEETS THIS EVENING

PUBLIC APPEAL FOR FUNDS Formed to combat the scourge of cancer, the first public meeting of the recently-created Auckland division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society '"'ill be held in the Town Hall this evening. Tile society has its headquarters Jn London and is under Royal patronage. There are branches all over England arid the Empire, and four divisions in the main centres of New Zealand, while there will be a central committee, comprising delegates from the divisions and the Mayors and chairmen of the hospital boards of the four cities, who will sit ex officio. Questions of local interest will be dealt with by the divisions and the central committee will deal with questions affecting the Dominion generally. while a percentage of the funds of the society will be allocated to a central fund, the rest being devoted to the activities of the divisions. The high mortality rate from cancer, the lingering and painful nature of the disease, and the fact that a number of people in the prime of life arc affected, has prompted the birth of the society, which has for its object the collection of all data pertaining to the disease, including the efficacy of cures. So far, no definite ultimate cause of the disease has been discovered, though a number of contributing causes have been defined. Neither has any definite cure been discovered, apart front the removal of the affected parts by the surgeon's knife. In the past efforts to analyse the cause and cure of the disease have been individual rather than collective, and with the launching of the Cancer Campaign Society it is hoped that a definite step will be taken toward abolishing the disease. Many countries have assisted materially in what must necessarily be an international problem and there is no reason why

New Zealand cannot add its quota of knowledge to the accumulating data. A stocktaking of the number of cases in the Dominion will be taken, a check will be kept on all cures effected, and steps will be taken to educate the public to the dangers of the disease with the object of seeurj ing early diagnoses, j At the meeting this evening the j Auckland division will appeal for I funds, as it is felt that the cause is i of such extreme importance that the : public should take an active and { vital interest and not leave it to | officialdom alone. In addition there i will be an annual call for public | support. ! The Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, | will preside this evening and among j the speakers will be the Hon. A. J. j Stallworthy, Minister of Health, Dr. : .1. S. Elliott, of Wellington, president of the British Medical Association in New Zealand, and Mr. W. J. Shaw.