The Irish Cancer Society's latest campaign wants to get us talking about cancer - and it's working.

The new ad campaign from the Irish Cancer Society sees various people describe why they want to “Get Cancer” – but instead of developing Dthe disease, the word ‘get’ refers to understanding cancer and stopping it from taking away any more loved ones.

The reality of the message is that by 2020, 1 in 2 of us will receive a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime. At the moment, 40,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in Ireland – That’s over 150 people every day.

The campaign was immediately considered upsetting and offensive. The videos received much backlash when posted to Facebook and Twitter.

The hashtag #iwanttogetcancer was created for the campaign, which is also being misunderstood

The Irish Cancer Society has defended the campaign, saying that they did not want to cause distress but wanted to raise awareness.

Head of Communications Gráinne O’Rourke said “it is a hard-hitting and impactful campaign and it has to be because in the first instance it’s about saving lives.”

The aim of the Irish Cancer Society is to stop cancer in its tracks. 4 out of 10 cancers can be prevented, they say. The charity wants to continue supporting cancer researchers throughout the country who work to Get Cancer every single day. Thanks to improved research, 6 out of 10 people diagnosed with cancer today survive to 5 years and beyond.

“We want to Get Cancer by funding life-saving cancer research, by making more people aware of cancer and how it can be prevented, and by providing information and support to people who have been diagnosed with cancer,” – Irish Cancer Society.

Visit www.getcancer.ie to learn more about the Irish Cancer Society and the ad campaign.

Were you shocked by these adverts? Let us know by emailing news@donegalwoman.ie