Michael Douglas Joins Oral Cancer Awareness Campaign
Hollywood actor, Michael Douglas, is joining forces with the Oral Cancer Foundation to raise awareness of oral cancer and encourage people to attend regular oral health screenings.
The actor, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, is working on a public service announcement, which be televised across the USA, to educate people about the importance of attending regular oral cancer screenings and routine dental check-ups. The advert will appear on screens in June and run throughout the summer months.
It is estimated that 40,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer over the course of the next year, yet public awareness of the disease is relatively low, with a large proportion of people unaware of the causes and symptoms of oral cancer. Experts are particularly concerned about the increased prevalence of oral cancer among young people as a result of exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV), a virus that is also connected with cervical cancer.
Douglas first visited his doctor after suffering from a persistent sore throat and after a series of tests he was diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma and began radiotherapy and chemotherapy. After a long course of intensive treatment, Douglas was given the all-clear and he is now eager to help the Oral Cancer Foundation to save lives by raising the profile of the disease.
Representatives from the foundation said that they were extremely grateful to the Oscar-winning actor for joining the campaign.
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