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MPN Awareness Day Is September 10
This year on September 10, the eighth annual MPN Awareness Day raised awareness and supported those affected by myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), blood cancers that cause an overproduction of blood cells. Every year, the day highlights educational research surrounding MPNs and support MPN patients and caregivers.
Myeloma Awareness Month Is March 2021
Myeloma Awareness Month is held each March to highlight caregivers and support people living with and affected by myeloma, a type of blood cancer that forms in plasma cells.
World Blood Cancer Day Is May 28, 2021
World Blood Cancer Day is a large annual effort to support people living with and diagnosed with blood cancer. Each year, about 80,000 people seek a stem cell donor outside their family. There are currently approximately 9 million registered stem cell donors. This awareness day is designed to honor those who have already registered to be donors and encourage others to join the registry. RELATED: Cancer Risk Genes: Everything You Need to Know About BRCA1 and BRCA2
Light the Night Walks
Throughout this fall and beyond, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is hosting a series of virtual Light the Night walks, with the closest event being held on September 19 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Many more will be held on October 1, with virtual walks being hosted in Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The walks will continue throughout October, so be sure to check its schedule for more information on a date that works for you. RELATED: After the Cure: Survival Rates for Lymphomas Are High, but Patients Need to Consider Long-Term Effects Upcoming conferences and meetings include:
National Blood Cancer Conference 2020LLS Regional Cancer Conferences 2020ASH American Society of Hematology 2020
National Blood Cancer Conference 2020
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society held its 2020 National Blood Cancer Conference virtually on September 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. EDT. The educational event will be open to caregivers, patients, survivors, and family members of those affected, and review treatment options, emerging therapies, and resources provided by LLS.
LLS Regional Cancer Conferences 2020
LSS will hold its virtual conferences on September 26 — hosted by the organization’s Georgia/South Carolina region — and October 3, hosted by LSS’s Metro New York region. Additionally, LLS will host more virtual conferences throughout October and November.
ASH American Society of Hematology 2020
The ASH will hold it’s virtual meeting December 5-8 and is the largest conference on blood-related illnesses in the world. RELATED: New Study Sheds Light on Genetic Differences in Types of Lymphoma
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society (ACS) seeks volunteers across the country in many capacities, including community outreach, soliciting donations, answering calls on the ACS’s 24/7 hotline, and increasing the impact of the organization at large. Time commitment depends on the specific volunteering job and the location of the ACS branch. Training is provided.
DKMS
DKMS is an organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders, and seeks volunteers to help organize drives and registration for bone marrow donation, organize events, and to host/participate in fundraisers, both virtually and in person.
Sharing on Social Media
Social media is an excellent way to spread awareness about blood cancer and the people affected by it. During Blood Cancer Awareness month, some hashtags people are encouraged to use include #bloodcancerawareness and #cancerwarrior, along with hashtags for diseases themselves, including #leukemia, #multiplemyeloma, and #lymphoma. Another way to use social media to make a difference is to encourage people to register themselves as a blood donor or to host an online drive to facilitate registrations.
Get Political
To support those affected by blood cancer, contact your local officials and urge them to support legislation that ensures that insurance providers can’t deny patients coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions or access to quality care and treatment. For support groups for people affected by blood cancer, LLS and CancerCare can direct you to a meeting in your area or connect you with a virtual group. For online support groups, Facebook hosts groups with thousands of members for chronic myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and many more diseases.
