September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month and 4th September is World Leukaemia Day. The charity, Spot Leukaemia, is running a campaign throughout the month to raise awareness as leading charities say that patients are being either misdiagnosed or are waiting too long for a blood test.
What is blood cancer?
Leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are all blood cancers which are a complex group of diseases. Patients with Leukaemia are often diagnosed too late due to not having a blood test at the earliest chance when they have symptoms.
Statistics show that in the UK 27 people receive a leukaemia diagnosis every day, estimating close to 10,000 every year. The overall survival stands at just over 50%, meaning it is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, which is why having an early diagnosis is so vital to someone’s life.
What is Spot Leukaemia?
Spot Leukaemia launched its first campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of Leukaemia in 2017. The charity’s aim is to not only raise awareness of blood cancer but to change the public’s perception and who it affects, for example, 64% of people who are diagnosed with Leukaemia are over 65, yet it is the public’s perception that Leukaemia is a childhood disease.
According to Spot Leukaemia’s recent survey, YouGov poll found that 88% of people in the UK knew Leukaemia was a type of cancer but not everyone could say what the symptoms are, in fact, 31% of people were not able to name one symptom. Further to this when asked if they would visit their doctor if they did have any of the symptoms, 28% said they wouldn’t because of the pressure already on the NHS and they didn’t want to add more. This just shows how more awareness is desperately needed amongst people in the UK as 30% still believe Leukaemia only affects people under the age of 15. Shocking statistics show that only 4% identified that Leukaemia is actually more prominent in people who are aged between 65-74.
What are the symptoms to look out for in blood cancer?
Symptoms can often include:
- Feeling fatigue (tiredness that lasts a long time and does not get better with rest)
- Bruising more easily, bleeding taking longer to stop
- Repeated infections, having more severe and long lasting infections
- Fever, night sweats
- Losing weight quickly that is unexplained
- Swollen lymph nodes (armpit, groin, glands in your neck)
- Breathlessness
- Feeling generally unwell
- Bone pain, mainly in the ribs and back
How to get involved with World Leukaemia Day?
There are many ways to get involved and help raise awareness:
- Share your story – Sharing your diagnosis story and the symptoms you were experiencing can raise greater awareness online amongst friends and other people.
- Share the Spot Leukaemia campaign online – Throughout the month the charity will share various posts, videos, and infographics on social media. You can help raise awareness by sharing posts surrounding the campaign.
- Take a ‘spotty selfie’ – Take a selfie of yourself wearing spotty items and share them on social media. This year the charity is using the hashtag #SpotLeukaemia and is encouraging people to use it in their posts.
- Become a member of the team – Volunteering for the charity will involve distributing some campaign materials to local GPs, Pharmacies, Opticians, Dentists, etc. Even a small number of hours can make a big impact.
How can we help?
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with a member of our expert Medical Negligence team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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