World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) will be held for the first time on September 7, 2025 —the anniversary of the first treatment with a linear accelerator. First announced during London Global Cancer Week 2024, the initiative has since gathered broad international support.
Objectives of WRAD
The WRAD committee, made up of oncology professionals, patients, and advocates, has set out four key objectives:
- Raise awareness of radiotherapy’s contribution to cancer treatment
- Highlight global access disparities
- Educate healthcare professionals, policymakers, and patients
- Recognize the radiotherapy workforce and underline the urgent need for adequate training and staffing
Radiotherapy in Cancer Care
According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), about one in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime. Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020.
Radiotherapy plays a central role in cancer treatment. It works by destroying cancer cells with targeted radiation and contributes to the cure of around 40% of cancers. It is estimated that approximately half of all cancer patients will need radiotherapy at some point in their treatment. In addition to curative applications, radiotherapy also relieves symptoms and improves quality of life for patients.
However, despite its proven effectiveness, radiotherapy is often overlooked in health policy discussions. WRAD was created to close this gap by offering a platform for professionals, patients, and policymakers to advocate for radiotherapy’s vital essential in cancer care.
Why Awareness Matters
Disparities in cancer treatment outcomes exist not only between high- and low-income regions but also within individual countries. A patient’s chances of survival should not depend on where they live.
Dr. Katie Wakeham, FRCR, PhD, Head and Neck Clinical Oncologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and co-chair of WRAD, emphasized: "One effective way to address disparities in access to radiotherapy is to establish a World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD). This initiative creates a platform for the global radiotherapy community to unite and attract the attention of the public, media, and governments. Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in oncology, as more than half of adults and a third of children with cancer should receive it as part of their treatment pathway. Nevertheless, significant regional and national disparities in access to this essential treatment persist worldwide. WRAD aims to ignite a lasting movement that can transform the perception, funding, and prioritisation of radiotherapy."
Looking Ahead
On September 7, 2025, WRAD will launch under the theme “One Voice for Radiotherapy." Planned activities include live and virtual events, social media campaigns, and outreach through print and broadcast media.
The initiative seeks to amplify one central message: equitable access to radiotherapy is essential to reducing the global cancer burden. Its launch marks an important step toward ensuring that radiotherapy receives the recognition and priority it deserves in global cancer care strategies.
