Every month at Good Good Good, we plan upcoming good news content for our Instagram, Goodnewsletter, Goodnewspaper, podcast, website, and more. Our work is always centered on hopeful stories about people making a difference in the world — and action steps on how each of us can join in with that good work.
With so many holidays, awareness days, education weeks, and activism months happening all year long, we’ve been slowly collecting all of these events in a private internal calendar for years.
We made our Monthly Cause Awareness Calendar publicly available earlier this year. We’ve also published:
- The Ultimate Calendar of Heritage Months
- Disability Awareness Days Calendar
- LGBTQ+ Pride Days, Weeks, & Months Calendar
- Animal & Pet Awareness Calendar
- Mental Health Days & Awareness Months Calendar
- Environmental & Sustainability Holidays Calendar
- HIV/AIDS Awareness Days & Months Calendar
And now we’re publishing our guide to cancer awareness holidays.
Our hope is this resource will help you or your organization bring attention to these important issues — not just around World Cancer Day — but all year long.
Where applicable, we've included resources around highlighted holidays — usually in the form of good news around particular topics, relevant quotes or recommendations, or action steps on how to make a difference. We encourage you to share them if you find them helpful.
We've worked hard to make this the most comprehensive collection of cancer-related days and months on the internet. Always double-check dates, as organizers may occasionally change dates.
Bookmark this page and revisit it as often as you need. We'll continue to update it and add to it over time.
Cancer Awareness Months & Dates
January
Days
No specific cancer awareness days in January
Take this opportunity to explore all cancer awareness ribbons and their meanings
Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month
February
Days
World Cancer Day - February 4th
World Cholangiocarcinoma Day - February 12th
National Donor Day - February 14th
International Childhood Cancer Day - February 15th
Rare Disease Day - February 28th
Months
National Cancer Prevention Month
American Heart Month
Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month
March
Days
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day - March 3rd
International HPV Awareness Day - March 4th
Read this good news story about women fighting for access to the HPV vaccine
Anal Cancer Awareness Day - March 21st
Months
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Myeloma Action Month
Kidney Cancer Awareness Month
April
Days
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Awareness Day - April 21st
Weeks
National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week - First Week of April
National Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week - First Full Week of April
National Minority Cancer Awareness Week - Third Week of April
Months
Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month
National Cancer Control Month
National Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
May
Days
Melanoma Monday - First Monday of May
World Ovarian Cancer Day - May 8th
Women’s Check-Up Day - Second Monday of May
World No Tobacco Day - May 31st
Months
Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
Brain Cancer Awareness Month
National Cancer Research Month
National Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
National NF (Neurofibromatosis) Month
Oncology Nursing Month
National Clean Air Month
Learn about the WHO air pollution guidelines aiming to improve health
June
Days
National Cancer Survivors Day - First Sunday of June
World Brain Tumor Awareness Day - June 8th
Listen to our podcast interview with cancer survivor and Olympic figure skater, Scott Hamiltonpet
World Kidney Cancer Day - Third Thursday of June
Week
National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week - Week-long event in June
Months
Cancer Immunotherapy Awareness Month
Cancer Survivors Month
Read about how cancer deaths are rapidly decreasing
July
Days
GIST Awareness Day - July 13th
National Leimyosarcoma Day - July 15th
Glioblastama Awareness Day - Third Wednesday of July
Months
UV Safety Awareness Month
Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month
August
Days
World Lung Cancer Day - August 1st
Esther Day - August 3rd
Read and share this guide about how to celebrate Esther Day
National Surgical Oncologist Day - August 22nd
Read about other inspiring frontline heroes
Months
Appendix Cancer Awareness Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
World Cancer Support Month
September
Days
World Lymphoma Awareness Day - September 15th
World Cancer Research Day - September 24th
World Lung Day - September 25th
National Previvor Day - Last Wednesday of September
Listen to our podcast interview with Paige More, founder of The Breasties
Weeks
National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week - Last Week of September
Months
Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Read this good news story about how Instagram-famous “Doug the Pug” gives back to kids with cancer
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness Month
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
Microplastic Awareness Month
October
Days
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day - Second Saturday of October
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day - October 13th
National Mammography Day - Third Friday of October
Read about Senator Amy Klobuchar’s mission to ensure women don’t skip their mammograms (like she did)
Weeks
Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week - Third Week of October
Months
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Liver Cancer Awareness Month
November
Days
World Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness Day (NET Cancer Day) - November 10th
World Pancreatic Cancer Day - Third Thursday of November
Giving Tuesday - First Tuesday after Thanksgiving
Consider giving to cancer-related nonprofits on Giving Tuesday (and explore more ideas) and share these Giving Tuesday quotes
Months
National Carcinoid Cancer Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
National Marrow Awareness Month
National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
National Pet Cancer Awareness Month
Read about famous veterinarians making a difference
December
Days
World AIDS Day - December 1st
Explore good news about HIV/AIDS progress and ways to make a difference
Weeks
National Influenza Vaccination Week - First Week of December
Is this list missing a holiday or awareness week/month? Let us know. We want to ensure this list is comprehensive and inclusive.
