September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, when supporters and advocates of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) focus on raising awareness about our efforts to combat blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease both locally and nationally.
In This Article...
What hue represents blood cancer on a ribbon?
Do you know which cancer is represented by which ribbon? The most well-known malignancies, the colors associated with them, and some information about their awareness campaigns are included below:
There is “Game Pink,” a campaign to raise money and awareness through playing video games, in addition to the marathons and walks that are most commonly connected with breast cancer fundraising.
Over $1 billion has been raised by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since 1949 to support the quest for treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma. September is designated as awareness month for the larger umbrella of blood cancer, which also employs a red ribbon.
Since 1996, Major League Baseball and the Prostate Cancer Foundation have sponsored the Home Run Challenge, which collects donations for each home run hit during MLB games from June 1 through Father’s Day. Over $1.4 million was raised throughout the challenge in 2019.
The No. 1 cancer killer of American women, lung cancer, is the focus of the American Lung Association’s “Lung Force,” which calls on women to unite in the fight. They accomplish this by holding activities like bike competitions, stair climbing competitions, expos, and clinics.
Every year, the National Kidney Foundation organizes walks to raise money. A group called KidneyCAN also organizes golf outings and concerts across the nation to raise money for kidney cancer research.
Beginning in early May, the city of Seattle has hosted the 1-mile walk and festival known as the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk since 2008. Supporters of brain cancer awareness and research are urged to don gray all month long.
World Pancreatic Cancer Day is observed annually on November 19 by the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. In order to spread awareness, supporters are urged to wear purple and post pictures on social media.
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance encourages individuals to wear blue throughout March to raise awareness of the condition. The alliance holds its “Walk to End Colorectal Cancer” at various sites across America throughout the year.
How can blood cancer be made more widely known?
Wear red to show support for World Lymphoma Awareness Day and Blood Cancer Awareness Month, stop by one of our many Lighting Partners during September, and post pictures on social media with the hashtag #LightItRed!
Don’t forget to look at the merchandise available for purchase in the LRF Swag shop to help LRF and spread awareness in September!
What does the leukemia cancer sign represent?
According to the International Myeloma Foundation, multiple myeloma is the second most prevalent kind of blood cancer. Each year, 30,280 new cases are reported. Since it is less common than certain other types of cancer, not many people are aware of it. March is recognized as Myeloma Awareness Month as a result. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the International Myeloma Foundation, and Myeloma Crowd all support and fundraise for this illness.
Leukemia Awareness Day falls on what day?
Every year, more than 437,000 people receive a leukemia diagnosis worldwide. Leukemia awareness, however, is alarmingly low. For everyone to be able to recognize leukemia, we need your assistance in reaching out to individuals all around the world.
On September 4, 2022, we urge people all across the world to raise awareness of the warning signs and symptoms of a cancer that claims more than 300,000 lives annually.
Increased public awareness of leukemia’s warning signs and symptoms results in better patient outcomes after a diagnosis. This can have a significant effect on survival odds and improve quality of life.
With your help, we can improve the prognosis for leukemia patients and increase awareness of a cancer that few people are aware of.
When is International Leukemia Day?
4. September 2021 World Leukemia Day is today. It’s the one day a year when people from all over the world can unite to support the fight against leukemia.
How many people are given a blood cancer diagnosis each year?
- Today, more than 1.3 million Americans either have blood cancer or are in remission from it.
- The majority of pediatric malignancies, or around 28% of all cancers in children, are leukemias. In the United States, there will be 178,520 new instances of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma diagnosed in 2020, with 56,840 deaths anticipated as a result of the diagnosis.
- Given how many individuals these malignancies continue to afflict, it’s critical to comprehend the illness and what we can do to increase our chances of surviving it.
It’s critical to comprehend the illness and what we can do to increase our chances of beating it because these illnesses continue to have a significant impact on the lives of so many individuals.
Every three minutes, one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
Children and adults can develop blood malignancies, which account for over 10% of all new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States each year. This implies that this year, 178,520 persons will receive a blood cancer diagnosis. 34 percent of these instances will receive a leukemia diagnosis, 48 percent a lymphoma diagnosis, and 18 percent a myeloma diagnosis.
Survival rates have significantly improved in the last 20 years.
For those with blood malignancies, results have significantly improved as a result of decades of research. 66 percent of those who are diagnosed with leukemia live for five years or more, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The percentage increases to 75% for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 89% for Hodgkin lymphoma.
Every 9 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from a blood cancer.
56,840, or 9.4%, of the approximately 606,520 cancer fatalities anticipated this year would be attributable to blood cancers. There is still considerable work to be done in the fight against blood cancer, despite the advances we have made.
There are no effective screening tests for the early detection of blood cancers.
The early detection and prevention of these malignancies can be aided by screening exams like mammograms for breast cancer and colonoscopies for colorectal cancer. There is currently no treatment for blood cancers, despite the fact that researchers are working to find ways to prevent or identify all tumors in their earliest stages. As a result, until symptoms manifest, people frequently are unaware that something is wrong.
There are three main types of blood cancers.
- Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects your white blood cells and is present in your blood and bone marrow. The most frequent kind of juvenile leukemia is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), followed by acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). AML and chronic lymphocytic leukemia are the two most prevalent adult leukemias (CLL).
- Lymphoma, or lymphatic system tumors, account for around half of all blood cancer cases each year. Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the two different forms of lymphomas.
- A type of white blood cell formed in the bone marrow called a plasma cell is cancerous, and this is what myeloma is. Myeloma cells stop the body from producing antibodies normally, weakening your immune system and making you more vulnerable to infection. Myeloma is sometimes referred to as multiple myeloma since it frequently affects numerous bone marrow locations.
NFCR-Funded Scientists Dr. Curt Civin and Dr. Michael Sporn are Making Great Strides in Blood Cancer Research
The work of Dr. Curt Civin in the field of bone marrow stem cell transplantation is possibly his most well-known accomplishment. The dramatic improvement in leukemia survival rates can be partially attributed to the transplantation method, in which Dr. Civin played a crucial, early role. Blood cancer sufferers’ lives continue to be improved by his current efforts. Artemisinins, a class of low-toxic medications used to treat malaria, have lately been found by Dr. Civin to be effective in eliminating AML cancer cells, one of the deadliest types of leukemia.
Please support those fighting the disease by raising awareness and taking action. Support the study of cancer.
