Observed on the last Wednesday of September, National Previvor Day recognizes people who live with an increased risk of developing cancer but have not been diagnosed with the disease.
For many, being a previvor means knowing cancer could be part of your future and choosing to do something about it before it ever becomes your diagnosis.
A previvor is someone who has an increased risk or predisposition to developing cancer but has not been diagnosed with cancer.
That increased risk may come from an inherited genetic mutation, such as BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, CHEK2, ATM or Lynch syndrome, or from a significant family history of cancer.
Previvors may choose increased cancer screening, genetic counseling, risk-reducing medications, preventive surgery or other proactive measures to manage their cancer risk.
But being a previvor is about more than medical decisions. It means navigating decisions most people never expect to face while healthy.
National Previvor Day falls on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
National Previvor Day was first recognized by Congress in 2010 alongside National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week. It is observed on the last Wednesday of September, helping raise awareness about hereditary cancer risk and the people making decisions about their health before a cancer diagnosis.
In 2026:
National Previvor Day: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
National Hereditary Cancer Week: September 27–October 3, 2026
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October 1–31, 2026
At The Previvor, we believe cancer prevention deserves a place in the cancer conversation.
For decades, much of cancer awareness has understandably focused on finding cancer early and treating it effectively. But advances in genetic testing now give some people an extraordinary opportunity: the chance to understand their risk before cancer develops.
Knowing your risk can open the door to choices.
For some people, that means starting screenings earlier. For others, it means considering preventive surgery. It can mean genetic testing, fertility preservation or IVF with PGT-M to reduce the chance of passing an inherited cancer mutation to the next generation.
There is no single way to be a previvor. There is power in simply knowing that you have options.
You don’t need to already know that a BRCA mutation runs in your family to start asking questions.
A strong family history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal or other cancers, particularly cancers diagnosed at younger ages or appearing repeatedly within a family, may be a reason to speak with a healthcare professional or genetic counselor about your individual risk.
National Previvor Day isn’t about living in fear of cancer.
It’s about what becomes possible when people have information early enough to act on it.
Our goal at The Previvor is to make sure more people understand their hereditary cancer risk, know what questions to ask and have access to the information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their futures.
Because sometimes surviving cancer starts before cancer ever begins.
National Previvor Day 2026 is September 30, 2026.
Learn your risk. Know your options. And remember: there is power in prevention.
