🩸 September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, MDS and MPN, and to highlight the support services available for those affected. 🩸 Blood cancer symptoms vary depending on the type of blood cancer (and some symptoms look different in different skin tones), but some of the more common ones are: ❗Weight loss that is unexplained ❗Bruising and bleeding easily ❗Shortness of breath (breathlessness) ❗Feeling weak or tired ❗Frequent infections and fevers ❗Lumps or swellings, swollen lymph nodes All the symptoms mentioned are common to many illnesses other than blood cancer. But if you have any of the symptoms, you should have them checked by your GP. As always, Cancer Care Map is here to offer support to anyone affected by cancers of the blood, including loved ones and carers. Some good places to start are: 1️⃣ Lymphoma Action - provides support services by phone, live chat and email, peer support through a buddy service, online support meetings, a closed Facebook group, self-management workshops, educational events and webinars. There is online information and a searchable database of clinical trials for people with lymphoma. 2️⃣ Anthony Nolan - helps match transplant patients with stem cell donors. It manages a stem cell register and provides information on different treatments and support before and after transplant surgeries. Other services include an online forum, peer support service and support for loved ones. 3️⃣ Blood Cancer UK - offers information and emotional and practical support including an email and phone helpline, an online community forum to meet others with shared experiences, and fact sheets, guides and booklets written by medical professionals 4️⃣ Myeloma UK - offers a range of advice and support through digital events, carer support, support groups both online and in person, discussion forums and qualified myeloma information specialists and nurses. Enter your postcode on our site to discover the support services close to you, as well as further national and online support. 📍 (fb)

✈️ Planning a trip during or after cancer treatment? Our latest guest blog with the team at Medical Travel Compared is packed with practical tips and reassurance to help you travel with confidence. 🌍 Read the full article on our site! Link in the comments. ⬇️ (fb)