7 September

Inspired by radiation therapist Alison Brown, patients, carers, radiotherapy professionals, friends and family members at Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia came together to fold 1,000 paper cranes for World Radiotherapy Awareness Day. The completed cranes were displayed throughout the hospital, bringing hundreds of individual contributions together in one shared expression of hope and healing. Each carefully folded crane represented the patients, families and healthcare pr

Four World Radiotherapy Awareness Day Regional Champions represented WRAD at ESTRO Meets Asia 2026, raising awareness of radiotherapy and the challenges affecting access to treatment. Prakash Umbarkar from India, Dr Sharon Wong from Singapore, Dr Laraib Khan from Pakistan and Dr Arman Reza Chowdhury from Bangladesh brought perspectives from across the region and connected local radiotherapy communities with the wider global campaign. Prakash delivered a presentation explainin

Sharon Wong is Head of Diagnostic and Therapeutics Division of Singapore Institute of Technology and a World Radiotherapy Awareness Day Regional Champion. Having spent more than ten years in the field, she has seen how radiotherapy can bring hope, reassurance and treatment options to patients and their families at some of the most difficult moments in their lives. In a special interview, Sharon discusses the importance of helping people understand radiotherapy, recognising th

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has marked World Radiotherapy Awareness Day by celebrating its unique place in radiotherapy history and the teams continuing that legacy today. On 7 September 1953, Hammersmith Hospital became the first hospital in the world to treat a patient using a dedicated clinical linear accelerator. This landmark treatment helped usher in a new era of cancer care and inspired the date chosen for World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD). More than 70

Professor Barbara Jereczek-Fossa, radiation oncologist and President of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), reflects on the progress made in radiotherapy and the shared responsibility to ensure that everyone who needs this vital treatment can access it. World Radiotherapy Awareness Day is an opportunity to celebrate one of the greatest advances in modern cancer care: radiotherapy. In a special message to mark the day, Professor Barbara Jereczek-Fossa,

Students from four countries came together for a multilingual World Radiotherapy Awareness Day initiative at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, India. Held on 28 August 2026, the event used banners and posters to raise awareness of radiotherapy and its important role in cancer treatment. Bringing radiotherapy awareness to students Radiotherapy is an essential part of cancer care, used to cure cancer, reduce the risk of it returning and relieve symptoms. Howev

Dr Neha Vapiwala, radiation oncologist and President of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), shares why greater understanding of radiotherapy matters and what it will take to improve access worldwide. Radiotherapy is a vital part of cancer care, yet it remains widely misunderstood. For World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD), Dr Neha Vapiwala joins the global conversation to explain why awareness is so important for patients, families and communities. In this

World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) and SOLAR have begun an exciting collaboration to raise awareness of radiotherapy, strengthen regional cooperation and advocate for fair access to this essential cancer treatment across Latin America. SOLAR - Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Radioterapia (Latin America Radiotherapy Society) is a federation bringing together national radiotherapy societies from across Latin America. It also welcomes groups of specialists from countries tha

For Jeff White, raising awareness of radiotherapy is both a professional and deeply personal commitment. Jeff works in communications at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and is a member of the World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) Committee. He is also someone who had tonsil cancer and has chosen to speak openly about his diagnosis and treatment experience. In this video, Jeff reflects on receiving his cancer diagnosis and explains why he believes it is i

More than 60 people from underserved communities took part in an educational programme focused on lung cancer, early diagnosis and the role of radiotherapy. Bringing the WRAD message into the community The Global Association of Radiation Therapists (GART) marked World Lung Cancer Day by delivering a community awareness programme at Nakki Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, on 1 August 2026. Organised in collaboration with Vriddha Mitra, a flagship programme of SCHOOL (Soc

World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) was featured during the 14th Training Course delivered by Orfit Industries and the POCL Medical Solutions Training School Academy in Mumbai, India, on 26 July 2026. The programme brought together BARC DRP Medical Physics students for a day of expert teaching and hands-on clinical training designed to support the next generation of radiotherapy professionals. Building practical radiotherapy skills Students received training across severa

Sixty future doctors from the University of Sydney have strengthened their understanding of radiotherapy through a practical education day delivered by the radiation oncology team at Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District. The participants experienced radiotherapy technology first-hand and learned more about the multidisciplinary professionals involved in planning and delivering treatment. Building radiotherapy knowledge across medicine Radiotherapy plays a v

World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) was featured at LISTECHON’26, held at Lisie Hospital in Kochi, India, on 19 July 2026. The conference welcomed 120 delegates and featured 13 guest lectures focused on advances in radiotherapy technology and clinical practice. Radiation Therapists, Radiation Oncologists, Medical Physicists, Oncology Nurses and Students came together to exchange knowledge and strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration in cancer care. The awareness activit

For many people, radiotherapy is something they know very little about until they, or someone close to them, need treatment. Clinical information plays an essential role in helping patients understand what radiotherapy is and how it works. But hearing directly from someone who has experienced treatment can provide a different kind of understanding: one grounded in personal experience, emotion and reassurance. In the lead up to World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, Julie McCrossin

The remarkable story behind a date that changed cancer treatment forever. Every year, millions of people around the world receive radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment. Yet few know that the modern treatment they receive can be traced back to one remarkable day: 7th September 1953. On that day, the world's first patient was treated using a dedicated clinical linear accelerator (linac) at Hammersmith Hospital in London, now part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trus

World Radiotherapy Awareness Day held the first of two Regional Champion meetings, scheduled at different times to accommodate participants across multiple time zones. The meeting brought together advocates from across the global radiotherapy community to share ideas and begin planning for 7 September 2026. The meeting marked an important step in building and supporting a strong network of Regional Champions who can help bring WRAD to life within their own countries and commu

We are delighted that World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) was featured in ASTRO News last week, highlighting the campaign's remarkable first year and its ambitions for 2026. Written by Dr Sandra Turner (Australia) and Dr Katie Wakeham (UK), Co-chairs of WRAD, the article reflects on how a volunteer-led idea has grown into a truly global movement dedicated to raising awareness of radiotherapy as a vital cancer treatment. Since launching on 7 September 2025, WRAD has brough

At ESTRO 26 in Stockholm, World Radiotherapy Awareness Day was featured during a plenary panel session entitled: Amplifying Radiotherapy Voices: Media and More. Sandra Turner facilitated the panel, comprising: Katie Wakeham (co-chair WRAD), Ben Ssemata (radiation therapist, Uganda), Barbara Jerazek-Fossa (President of ESTRO), Meryl (cancer patient representative, Board European Cancer XX and Filippo Alongi (radiation oncologist, Italy). The focus of the panel was around th

At the International Society of Stereotactic Radiosurgery (ISRS), Associate Professor Lucinda Morris shared a powerful message: when patients are supported to tell their stories, they can help improve care, promote innovation and influence health policy. Lucinda is a radiation oncologist at Sydney West Radiation Oncology Network. Alongside her clinical work, she has played a leading role in radiotherapy advocacy, including as a founding Co-Chair of the Targeting Cancer campai

We are actively seeking Patient/Survivor and Consumer Advocacy Groups and individuals from around the world to share their stories and join the WRAD platform, providing them with the opportunity to network with other groups, professionals, industry representatives, and policymakers.