GE Healthcare launches global cancer awareness scheme

GE Healthcare has launched a global scheme using social media to raise awareness of the importance of general fitness in the prevention of cancer.

The two-month Get Fit campaign has been launched via Twitter this month and encourages members of the general public to post messages about their efforts to improve their general health, such as by eating properly and undertaking exercise.

At the end of the programme, the company will identify which continent has made the most significant efforts, before offering a donation of $20,000 (12,200 pounds) to the Red Cross or Red Crescent Society based in the country voted as the overall winner.

John Dineen, chief executive officer of GE Healthcare, said this initiative is representative of its commitment to combating cancer worldwide.

"We believe that combining a healthy lifestyle with earlier detection of cancer through the development of technology breakthroughs will make a real impact on a person's likelihood of developing cancer," he said.

Currently, the company is attending the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, where it is showcasing its latest medical technology innovations in the field of cancer care and diagnostics.