TWO London residents who have been impacted by a leukaemia diagnosis are supporting leading charities Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK to help raise awareness of the blood cancer’s warning signs to help stop it devastating people’s lives.
Katherine Betts, 43, from Leyton lost her mum Barbara, 78, to leukaemia after she had been experiencing symptoms including breathlessness, infections, a high temperature, chills and fatigue. After a series of blood tests, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in December 2020.
Barbara was admitted to hospital for chemotherapy and blood transfusions, which meant spending that Christmas alone, due to Covid restrictions. Despite getting pneumonia and a period in intensive care, Barbara did recover and spent some happy months at home with her family whilst still having daily chemotherapy by injection. But, her condition deteriorated once again and she died in August 2022.
Kate said: “Mum and I were so close and I miss her terribly. We would talk five or six times a day and she only lived a 30-minute walk away. I would urge anyone who notices these symptoms either in themselves or in a loved one to go to the doctor. Mum never got ill and she never made a fuss – she was from that generation. Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of leukaemia so more people know what they are could lead to an earlier diagnosis and that could make a huge difference.”
Sonia Beldom, 60, from Finchley, started having symptoms including a shortness of breath at the beginning of last year. She had recently lost her dad and four close friends so she put the brain fog and fatigue she was experiencing down to grief. A series of tests found that she was neutropenic, which is a low number of white blood cells, and also had pulmonary embolisms in her lungs. One evening, she had a spiking temperature and a racing heart rate so she was blue lighted to hospital. Tests revealed she had acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML). After treatment including blood transfusions and ongoing chemotherapy, Sonia is now in remission and has written about her experiences in a blog, Chemo Chameleon.
Sonia said: “I have always been an active person, juggling two or three jobs which meant lots of world travel and being the ‘fixer’ in the family. But that all had to stop, of course. The diagnosis had a massive impact on our lives. Sometimes, the impact of what has happened really hits me and I can drop my mood – but I have a positive attitude most of the time. I really feel like I now have a mission to support others who have been or are going through the trauma of leukaemia and help them to see things in a new way.”
Katherine and Sonia are supporting Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK during Blood Cancer Awareness Month (September). The two charities have released new findings from a YouGov poll of 2,000 UK adults which found that less than a sixth (14%) of the UK adult population are able to identify all the four main symptoms of this deadly blood cancer. These are unusual bruising, unusual bleeding, fatigue, and repeated infections.
The organisations say this is contributing to more than a third of those diagnosed finding out the life-changing news at A&E. Throughout the UK, there are around 10,000 people diagnosed with leukaemia every year, and almost 5,000 deaths. Annually, 37% of those diagnosed with leukaemia receive this news in A&E – more than any other cancer type1.
In addition, people diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are disproportionately affected as over half of them are diagnosed in emergency settings. This type of leukaemia is particularly aggressive and develops quickly, so early diagnosis and treatment are even more essential.
Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have joined forces for their annual Spot Leukaemia campaign which aims to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of this type of blood cancer. The charities are urging anyone experiencing any or a combination of the four most common symptoms to request a full blood count from their GP, a simple yet vital test that can lead to early diagnosis and significantly improve survival rates. According to guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a blood test for leukaemia should be carried out within 48 hours.
Every day, 27 people in the UK are diagnosed with leukaemia, and currently, over 50,000 are living with the disease. Despite common misconceptions, leukaemia is not just a childhood disease as it predominantly affects those over 65.
Fiona Hazell, CEO of Leukaemia UK, said: “We’re so grateful to Katherine and Sonia for supporting our Spot Leukaemia campaign. Their harrowing experiences, alongside the new data we have, highlight the real and urgent need to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of leukaemia. That’s why our Spot Leukaemia campaign is urging the public and medical communities to both recognise the warning signs and also the importance of requesting a blood test.”
Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care are urging the public and healthcare professionals to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of leukaemia and to contact their GP and request a blood test if they have any concerns.
Colin Dyer, CEO of Leukaemia Care, says “The findings call for immediate action. Delayed diagnoses not only devastate lives but also strain the NHS with increased treatment costs. We hear on a daily basis via our support services about the impact this has on patients and their families.
“Knowing the signs and symptoms of leukaemia and not being afraid to ask for a blood test from your GP is really important and something which we will continue to campaign for. Early diagnosis saves lives”
For more information and to find out about the symptoms of leukaemia, visit www.spotleukaemia.org.uk Our campaign video can also be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6322MuTO_zA