In the UK, around 230,000 people are currently living with blood cancer and an average of 104 people are diagnosed with the cancer each day. Figures from Bloodwise (formerly Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research) show that 96 per cent of people are not aware that it is one of the biggest cancer killers.

This is alarming as blood cancer is actually the third biggest cancer killer and the fifth most common cancer. The 137 different types of blood cancer claim more lives than either breast or prostate cancer.

It’s my privilege to chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Blood Cancer, many of the Group’s MPs and peers have had family experience of the condition. My mother passed away very suddenly from acute myeloid leukaemia five years ago.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and I’m working with organisations including Bloodwise and Leukaemia Care to help raise awareness of the condition – and perhaps most crucially, its symptoms. These include fatigue, shortness of breath, joint or bone pain, problems sleeping, bruising or bleeding, fever and night sweats.

If you have one or several of these indicators that’s prolonged or unexplained, you should see your doctor.

I’m pleased that our community will be playing its part to highlight this issue. On Saturday (16th September), Crawley Town will make Leukaemia Care, who are organising the Spot Leukaemia campaign, their charity of the day for the League Two game against Notts County at the Checkatrade.com Stadium. Kick-off is at 3pm, and I encourage fans of both the Reds and the Magpies to donate generously.

This week in Parliament, the APPG will be continuing its inaugural inquiry into blood cancer care. We expect this to raise a number of areas of follow up activity which we can continue to pursue in the months and years ahead.

Henry Smith MP