Henry Smith MP is supporting a national campaign by blood cancer charity Bloodwise to coincide with Blood Cancer Awareness Month this September.
Henry said;
“I’ve been working with Bloodwise, who have been campaigning to increase awareness of blood cancers since 1960.
“The charity’s research has shown that 38 people die each day as a result of blood cancer, it’s vital that we raise awareness of the conditions.
“This week, my local paper column is on my support for the charity, and the work they do to assist patients and their families.
“A few years ago I lost my own mother to AML, a blood cancer; this is an issue close to my heart.”
Every year, 38,000 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer in the UK, with 14,000 people tragically losing their life. It is the UK’s third biggest cancer killer and overall, blood cancer accounts for one in ten of all new cancer diagnoses each year.
However, despite claiming more lives in the UK each year than breast or prostate cancer, research undertaken by Bloodwise has revealed that many people have little or no knowledge about blood cancers.
This month, the charity changed its name to Bloodwise, having previously been known as Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.
The new name was chosen to reflect the charity’s work for patients with all blood cancers, and brings together everything being done to beat the conditions, from world-leading research and thought leadership to patient support services and fundraising.
Thousands of giant billboards have been unveiled across the country as part of the UK’s largest ever blood cancer public awareness campaign, which are highlighting the fact that blood cancer is comprised of 137 individual diseases.
Diana Jupp, Director of Patient Experience at Bloodwise, said:
“It’s fantastic that Henry Smith MP is showing his support for blood cancer patients and their families and sharing the important messages of our campaign with constituents in Crawley.
“38,000 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer each year in the UK, yet very few people are familiar with the term “blood cancer”. Patients have told us that a lack of awareness has a significant impact throughout their patient journey – from confusion and uncertainty at diagnosis to being unaware of the organisations that provide the support and care they need.
“This lack of awareness of one of the most common forms of cancer cannot be tackled overnight, and this campaign is the first step to addressing this problem. Increased political support is crucial if we are to improve outcomes for all patients affected by the 137 types of blood cancer.”
Related article:
Henry Smith MP: Supporting Bloodwise during Blood Cancer Awareness Month
21 September 2015
External links:
Bloodwise
