Today is World Radiotherapy Awareness Day!
Across the world, patients, healthcare professionals, organisations and communities are coming together with One Voice for Radiotherapy.
Today is a celebration of the people who make radiotherapy possible, the patients and families whose experiences inspire greater understanding, and everyone working to ensure this vital cancer treatment receives the recognition it deserves.
To every person who has shared a story, organised an event, created a resource, joined a conversation or helped spread the word: thank you.
Your support is helping more people understand the important role radiotherapy plays in curing cancer, relieving symptoms and improving lives.
Today may be World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, but the conversation must continue. Together, we can challenge misconceptions, improve understanding and advocate for access to safe, high-quality radiotherapy for everyone who needs it.
Thank you for standing with us and adding your voice.
Katie Wakeham, Clinical Oncologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust:
“Join World Radiotherapy Awareness Day and The Royal College of Radiologists advocating for a highly skilled workforce with the capacity to deliver quality radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in cancer treatment, and it’s imperative that we have the best professionals trained and equipped to help patients during their cancer journey.”
International Society of Paediatric Oncology – SIOP:
“1 million lives could be saved every year simply by expanding global access to radiotherapy.
This World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, SIOP is proud to stand with the global oncology community and speak with One Voice For Radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy is an essential pillar of cancer care, contributing to nearly half of all cancer cures. Yet, significant gaps in access to this life-saving treatment remain around the world:
- 1 in 3 children diagnosed with cancer need radiotherapy.
- Over 200 million people live in a country with no access to radiotherapy.
- More than 40 countries in Asia and Africa do not have even one radiotherapy doctor.
Learn more and find out how you can take part.”
Gerry Hanna, Marie Curie Chair of Clinical Oncology at Trinity College Dublin, Member of the Board of Directors at the Irish Cancer Society:
“For World Radiotherapy Awareness Day 2026 ( WRAD 2026 ) our Discipline of Radiation Therapy TCD Practice Tutors Sany Dangol and Christine O’Brien are spreading awareness about the many benefits of radiotherapy at our stand in St James’s Hospital Dublin
Also in the picture is our Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist Caitriona Kelly – Caitriona’s APRT role is invaluable in supporting our patients with lung cancer across Saint Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network
If you’re around, call in and visit the stand and get a scrummy cupcake or enter our quiz.
Radiotherapy saves lives and is a key cancer treatment modality.”
Aisling Barry, Professor at University College Cork:
“Today is World Radiotherapy Awareness Day.
For those of us who work day in day out treating people with a cancer diagnosis with radiotherapy we know just how effective radiotherapy can be as a treatment in its own right, or in combination with other cancer treatments.
Radiotherapy literally cures cancer. People survive their cancer diagnosis because of radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy helps people live a life where symptoms, such as pain, are controlled enabling them to continue to do things that matter to them….the school drop off, hugging their grandkids, walking the dog….
However, radiotherapy is a cancer treatment modality that is too often overlooked, or not considered in the clinic, in research, in policy….
Over the past year, we have advocated strongly for the Government to take a proactive approach by establishing a rolling replacement programme for radiotherapy equipment. Promising progress has been made, but much more needs to be done to ensure our patients receive the very best care.
On this World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, I ask my colleagues, I ask our patients, and I ask you to always think about radiotherapy.
It may not be appropriate at that particular moment in time, but if we don’t ask, we don’t know. Every single one of my radiation oncology colleagues would be happy to take a call at any time to discuss whether radiotherapy could make a difference for a patient.”
Benjamin Ssemata, Radiation Therapist at the Uganda Cancer Institute:
“Africa Is Speaking and radiotherapy must be part of the conversation.
I’m honoured to be speaking LIVE today at the Africa WRAD Dialogue 2026, sharing lessons from the frontline as a Radiation Therapist and WRAD Regional Champion for Uganda.
My message is simple:
Awareness is not the destination. Action is.
We cannot celebrate what radiotherapy can achieve without confronting the millions who still struggle to access it.
Make radiotherapy visible.
Make radiotherapy understood.
Make radiotherapy accessible.
Join us as Africa brings ONE VOICE FOR RADIOTHERAPY to the global conversation.
We are LIVE NOW – join the dialogue!”
Lucinda Morris, Radiation Oncologist at NSW Health:
“Two years of World Radiotherapy Awareness Day and what a two years it’s been!
Radiotherapy saves lives, yet far too many people with cancer around the world still miss out on this vital treatment
From an idea to a huge global movement, a massive thank you to the patients who’ve shared their stories + the incredible radiotherapy community who’ve got behind WRAD!
And a very special shout-out to Prof Sandra Turner and Dr Katie Wakeham, the WRAD Global Committee and all the amazing regional champions for driving this global movement forward
Two years in. One voice for radiotherapy. And we’re just getting started”
Lina María Loaiza Salazar, Ambassador OF American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO):
“I am honored to be part of World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) as Regional Champion for Latin America, adding my voice to a global initiative that seeks to make visible the essential role of radiotherapy in cancer care.
From Latin America, we continue to work to raise awareness about the importance of radiotherapy, its benefits, and the barriers that many patients still face in accessing timely and quality treatments.
On the WRAD website you can hear testimonials from patients, professionals, leaders and organizations from different parts of the world that have joined this cause.
I invite you to meet these voices, share the message and join World Radiotherapy Awareness Day on September 7.”
“Today, Sep. 7, ASTRO proudly joins the global radonc community in recognizing World Radiotherapy Awareness Day. This important day is an opportunity to highlight the vital role of radiation therapy in cancer care and the need for equitable access to treatment.
We encourage our members and followers to learn more and help spread the word.”
Claudia Carvajal, Head of the Radiotherapy Department, Clínica Alemana de Santiago:
“Today is the World Radiotherapy Awareness Day and I want to highlight and thank the entire human team that with infinite dedication makes possible the delivery of this essential treatment against cancer.”
“Radiotherapy saves millions of lives. Let’s ensure the world knows it.
Today, on World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, ESTRO President Prof Barbara Jereczek-Fossa reflects on how far radiotherapy has come – and what’s needed to make it accessible to every patient who needs it.
Radiotherapy is estimated to contribute to roughly 40% of all cancer cures worldwide. Thanks to rapid innovation, today’s treatments are more precise, personalised, and safer than ever. Yet significant access gaps remain. Unlocking radiotherapy’s full potential means investing not just in technology, but in people, education, research, and strong health systems.”
Kevin Moore, Vice President, Product Management, Radiation Oncology Solutions at Varian:
“Picture it… 1953, the first patient was treated on a linear accelerator built specifically for Radiotherapy.
More than 70 years later, it’s pretty incredible to think about how far this field has come. We can see more. Treat with greater precision. Take on cases in ways those early teams probably couldn’t have imagined.
And yet, where a patient is treated can still shape the care available to them. I don’t believe this takes away from the progress we’ve made, but it does make the next part of our work pretty clear.Whenever we improve radiotherapy, we also need to think about how to spread that advancement.
How do we make advanced care easier for more clinics to deliver? How do we help teams treat more patients and more complex cases? How do we make sure geography or resources do not decide what is possible for someone?
That’s a responsibility all of us in this field share. On World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, I’m thankful for everyone who has advanced radiotherapy over the last 70 years. And I’m excited about what we can do next. The next breakthrough matters. Getting it to the patients who need it matters even more.”
Eftychia Tataridou, Medical Doctor at Theageneio Anticancer Hospital of Thessaloniki:
“World Radiotherapy Awareness Day 2026 | One Voice for Radiotherapy.
Today, our Radiation Oncology Department at Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki joined the global community in marking World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD).
Our local initiative focused on something simple but essential: making radiotherapy better understood by patients, families and the wider public, while highlighting the importance of equitable access to safe, high-quality radiotherapy worldwide.
Together with our multidisciplinary team and our patients, we shared educational material, addressed common myths and misconceptions, and created our WRAD Tree, with contributions from both staff and patients.
I am particularly grateful to Prof. Sandra Turner, Co-Chair of WRAD, for her trust and for inviting me to join the WRAD Regional Champions network representing Greece. It is a privilege to contribute to an international initiative that brings the radiotherapy community together around a common purpose.
Thank you to everyone at Theageneio Anticancer Hospital of Thessaloniki who supported and participated in today’s initiative.
One Voice for Radiotherapy.”
