Editor’s note: The Union for International Cancer Control leads World Cancer Day every Feb. 4 to raise awareness about cancer, encourage its prevention and mobilize action to address the global pandemic

World Cancer Day's new campaign, "United by Unique," celebrates the stories of every person affected by cancer. "Every experience with cancer is unique, and it will take all of us, united, to create a world where we look beyond the disease and see the person before the patient. This World Cancer Day let's come together to rewrite the future of cancer care — one where the needs of people and communities come first," states the campaign website.

The Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center celebrates World Cancer Day and recognizes the unique experiences of each person under its care. Here are some of their stories:

Pokémon party at Mayo Clinic Children's Center brings joy, lasting memories

Five-year-old Arthur Heyer has been battling neuroblastoma since he was 2½ years old. His love for Pokémon has been his superpower, lifting his spirits as he battles what no child should ever have to face. With the help of Make-A-Wish Minnesota, Arthur was able to celebrate life and his passion for Pokémon with a party for his friends.

Innovative therapy helps one man with cancer pay it forward

After putting off a colonoscopy for decades, Brian Principe was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to his liver. After standard chemotherapy and hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy, his tumors have shrunk, and he is helping others get the screening they need to prevent the disease.

Focus on hope: Brescia's story

Hodgkin lymphoma derailed 20-year-old Brescia Dover's plans to become a professional photographer. Mayo Clinic's Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program helped her get her plans back on track. She is now cancer-free and owns her own marketing agency.

Kirk Mathers found a lasting way to thank his care team: He got inked

After learning that an egg-sized growth on his foot was sarcoma, Kirk Mathers sought care at Mayo Clinic. He later decided to honor his cancer experience and his care team with a series of tattoos that continue to spark conversations.

Teamwork and a new nickname inspire patient through pancreatic cancer treatment

After a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and multiple cardiac arrests during treatment, Walter "Dick" Whetstone was told he had just months to live. At Mayo Clinic, he found help, hope and a new nickname based on his love for Clemson University in South Carolina.

Sally Blackwell 'no longer on the sidelines' after life-changing surgery for rectal cancer

Sally Blackwell experienced constipation and lack of weight gain while she was pregnant with her second child. After her child's birth, her symptoms worsened but were dismissed as hemorrhoids. Then, at 33, she was diagnosed with rectal cancer at Mayo Clinic. The lifesaving care she received inspired her to become a social worker at Mayo Clinic.

Father of five on life after cancer: 'Everything feels so good and rich and valuable'

A swollen lymph node led Gary McCracken to Mayo Clinic to find the source of his cancer. The Head and Neck Surgery team in Rochester used exploratory robotic surgery to find the source — his tonsil — and removed the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes. After chemotherapy and radiation, he's now fully recovered and traveling the country with his wife. 

A version of this article originally appeared on the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center blog.

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