During his speech at the opening ceremony of the Christodoula March, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, highlighted the need to strengthen cancer  prevention and continuously improve policies for tackling cancer. At the same time, he expressed his satisfaction with the massive turnout at the march.

The President emphasized the timeless symbolism of the event, noting: "It is with great pleasure that I participate in the Christodoula March again this year, and I am particularly glad to see such mass participation." He added, "I am certain that 51 years ago, Christodoula could never have imagined that so many years later, this march would unite us all."

He stressed that we must strive for constant improvement in how we combat the disease by stating that "our shared goal should be to achieve greater progress with every passing year." He placed particular emphasis on the importance of prevention, pointing out that "the most important thing is prevention. And that is clearly where we must all invest more."

Regarding the State's actions, he noted the reinforcement of screening programs and the establishment of the National Cancer Institute, stating: "I am pleased because we had promised the National Cancer Institute, and it has become a reality." He added that its role will be to coordinate centers and specifically boost research.

The President expressed his gratitude to the stakeholders involved, describing the Anticancer Society of Cyprus as a "partner and fellow traveler of the State," while also referring to the work of the "Arodaphnousa" palliative care center and the contribution of the Bank of Cyprus. As he noted:

"When we refer to the sectors of Health and Education, there are no accounting calculations; there is only investment in the future of our country."

Finally, he called on the public to participate actively in the march, providing support to "all our fellow human beings and their families who are fighting this difficult battle."

Source: CNA(ΚΥΠΕ)