Charity appeal to Sheffield people to join them in the fight against blood cancer

Bloodwise is calling on people across the city to join them in their mission to find a cure to blood cancer by setting up a community group and raising funds towards life changing research.

Sarah Dunning, Bloodwise regional relationships manager for Sheffield, said she hoped people would sign up to a community group to raise awareness of the disease.

She said: “Awareness of blood cancer is low, despite it being the fifth most common cancer and the third biggest killer.

“Too many lives are lost in the UK each year, and we’re determined to do everything we can to protect more families from this devastation.

“By signing up to your local community group you can help us fund the research that’s so desperately needed to bring us closer to beating blood cancer.

“Together we can save more lives and find a cure. It’s also a fantastic way to meet new people and make a real difference in your community.”

According to the figures from Bloodwise, one in 19 people in the UK will be diagnosed with blood cancer in their lifetime, with blood cancers claiming the lives of more than 15,000 people each year – more than breast cancer or prostate cancer.

The community groups are the face of Bloodwise in their local communities in other areas, and it is hoped will also be valuable in Sheffield.

From running fundraising events to supporting schools and local businesses and organising collections, the groups are intended to support the charity’s vital work.

People are asked to give up as much time to volunteer as they can because every pound raised from community groups will help fund vital research and identify new treatments that could be the cure to beat blood cancer.

Bloodwise research has made major breakthroughs since the 1960s when less than one in 10 children would survive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Today nearly eight in 10 do.

For more information please visit www.bloodwise.org.uk or contact Sarah Dunning, Bloodwise Regional Relationships Manager for North East and Yorkshire by emailing [email protected].