We celebrate World Blood Cancer Day on 28 May to mark the founding of DKMS, an international charity dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
Lymphoma is the most common type of blood cancer in the UK, with someone being diagnosed with lymphoma every 28 minutes.
What makes lymphoma a type of blood cancer?
Lymphomas are classed as a blood cancer because they develop from a type of blood cell. They develop when a type of white blood cell, called a lymphocyte, grows out of control.
Lymphocytes are part of your immune system. If you have lymphoma, abnormal lymphocytes collect in your lymphatic system, often in your lymph nodes. This is why the most common symptom of many types of lymphoma is swollen lymph nodes.
How can I get involved and help people affected by blood cancer?
Watch and share our award-winning symptoms animation to help us raise awareness on World Blood Cancer Day.
Today is also an opportunity to raise awareness of stem cell donation. Stem cell transplants are used to treat some types of blood cancer, including certain lymphomas. Allogeneic, or donor, stem cell transplants require stem cells from someone else, whose stem cells ‘match’ yours as closely as possible. DKMS are encouraging people to support World Blood Cancer Day by signing up to be a blood stem cell donor. In doing this, you could help someone who is having treatment for lymphoma. Spread the word to make as many people as possible aware of the importance of becoming a stem cell donor.