Communities nationwide are being encouraged to start a conversation about cancer during Cancer Week Ireland 2017.

Running from September 25 to October 1, Cancer Week Ireland is organised by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) and Trinity College Dublin. It aims to get everyone talking about the disease and how we can prevent it, spot it earlier, improve treatment and thrive afterwards.

A number of events will take place during the week, including ‘Living Well with Cancer', the national conference for cancer survivorship. This allows people who have been affected by cancer to get practical advice that can make a big difference to their daily lives.

There will also be a conference aimed at people whose cancer has spread to other parts of their body, entitled ‘Living with Secondary Cancer - What Happens Now?'

This marks the fourth annual Cancer Week Ireland and according to the ICS's head of services and advocacy, Donal Buggy, while still relatively new, this event has become increasingly significant.

"This year, 40,000 people in Ireland will hear the words ‘you have cancer'. But such a large number doesn't have to instil fear. Survival rates are improving and today, six in 10 cancer patients survive for at least five years. Research advances are telling us more about how we can prevent, detect and treat cancer, and survive and thrive after a diagnosis," Mr Buggy said.

He emphasised that cancer is ‘no longer the death sentenced it once was'.

Meanwhile, according to Prof John Reynolds, a consultant at St James's Hospital in Dublin, Cancer Week Ireland provides an opportunity for the ICS and the Irish research community to engage directly with members of the public to discuss the latest research developments and to promote the importance of healthy living and an early diagnosis.

Over the coming weeks, the ICS will be calling on members of the public to host their own local events and start a conversation around cancer. A dedicated website has been set up to allow people to get advice on how to host an event and to then promote that event to a wider audience. For more information, click here