Cluj Orthodox Cathedral lit teal joining WHO strategy to accelerate elimination of cervical cancer

The Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Cluj-Napoca glowed teal on Tuesday night for Cervical Cancer elimination.

The Metropolis of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj has joined the first-ever global commitment to eliminate a cancer initiated by the World Health Organization.

The event was organized by the “Prof. Ion Chiricuta” Oncological Institute in Cluj-Napoca in partnership with the Metropolis of Cluj and Transavia Company.

The World Health Organization launched Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, a Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. Buildings across the world including Paris City Hall, London’s Tower 42, Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, and other iconic landmarks stood in solidarity to illuminate the cause.

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. It is also curable if detected early and adequately treated.

Yet it is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. Without taking additional action, the annual number of new cases of cervical cancer is expected to increase from 570 000 to 700 000 between 2018 and 2030, while the annual number of deaths is projected to rise from 311 000 to 400 000.

In low- and middle-income countries, its incidence is nearly twice as high and its death rates three times as high as those in high-income countries.

Meeting the following targets by 2030 will place all countries on the path toward elimination:

  • 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age
  • 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by age 35 and again by 45
  • 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment (90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed).

In Cluj-Napoca, the Orthodox Church is directly involved in the fight against cancer through the Palliative Care Centre “Saint Nectarios” of the Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj. It provides medical and spiritual support to patients with advanced cancer, but also to their relatives.

Photography courtesy of Mitropolis of Cluj / Darius Echim

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