A message from people with blood cancer

We are also just a few of the many thousands of people who make up the Blood Cancer UK community.

Our community has been brought together by a wide range of different experiences. Some of us have lost loved ones. Some of us have supported friends and family through blood cancer. Some of us have been through treatment and are now in remission. Some of us are still living with blood cancer today.

Some of our stories have had happy endings. Some of them have not.

But while our stories are disparate, we are united by our shared understanding of the impact of blood cancer. For us, the 40,000 people a year who are diagnosed with it and the 15,000 people a year who die from it are not just statistics. They are our friends, spouses, partners, children, grandparents and colleagues. In many cases they are us.

And because we understand the impact of blood cancer, we are also united by a shared determination to prevent, treat and cure blood cancer.

Ever since it was founded, Blood Cancer UK’s key strength has been the way it has been guided by its huge community of people affected by blood cancer. By being part of discussions about Blood Cancer UK’s future and its strategy, we are proud to be continuing this tradition.

We are proud, also, that our involvement – and the input of people affected by blood cancer right through the process – means the charity’s strategic direction is rooted in the experiences of the people who matter most. And the strategy’s commitment to continuing and deepening the involvement of people like us means Blood Cancer UK will be well-placed to meet the challenges and opportunities the next five years will bring.

Scientists’ understanding of the biology of blood cancer means we are on the verge of new breakthroughs that could transform survival rates, but they will only happen if the money is available to pay for them. In addition, there are huge challenges facing the NHS and it is deeply unfair that some people are less likely to survive based on who they are and where they live. All this means that it’s never been more important for us to have someone in our corner, advocating for high-quality care. We are absolutely certain that the next five years will be massively important in the journey towards the time when no one dies of blood cancer.

Above all, we are proud that the strategy we’ve developed is one that gives the best chance of Blood Cancer UK’s work saving as many lives as possible, both over the next five years and beyond.

Because the next five years represent an opportunity, that for thousands of people like us, cannot afford to be missed.