A cancer survivor and a number of outraged citizens have called for the removal of the PN’s new billboards calling for cancer to be overcome.

“It doesn’t matter who did it, I still believe that it isn’t right to take advantage of cancer,” Carmen Formosa, a cancer survivor, said on social media.

“You have to live through the situation to see how a billboard like this affects you,” she continued. “Cancer is in the hands of the Lord. If my destiny is to die at the age of 49 there is no cure that can stop it. There is as much high quality treatment as you want, yet the fact remains that whoever passes through this disease will spend their life scared and will not enjoy seeing these kind of billboards.”

She wasn’t the only one to react strongly to the billboards, which ostensibly says: ‘We need to overcome cancer’

“Political or not, remove this billboard from our streets. Sickness shouldn’t be mentioned in politics. Hope this message arrives and is removed immediately for the sake of a lot of families,” said one person who was angered by the billboard.

However, others thought the billboard was fine: “There is nothing wrong in making cancer research a priority I guess. Why all this fuss? Is it possible that this word is still taboo? I cannot understand how this could have possibly offended you.”

Following the furore, the PN explained that the poster was inspired by an EPP plan to eradicate cancer

Do you think the new billboard should be removed? Let us know the comments below

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]