Today marks World Cancer Day, and this year is a milestone.

This year is the 20th anniversary.

It started on February 4, 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris, and has since encouraged the global community to promote research, improve services for patients and prevent cancer.

Over the past two decades, World Cancer Day has helped raise awareness, encourage people to take action against cancer, and provided an increased understanding of the critical health issue that impacts one-in-two Canadians.

This year’s theme is “I Can and I Will”. It is to be viewed from an individual’s perspective and is about you, and your commitment to take action against cancer.

The theme includes a call to action that asks people to share their plans for the day on social media, and encourages them to get informed, act smarter, get screened, speak up, create change and love harder.