September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Every 3 minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. This month is a time to raise awareness about blood cancers, the people living with them, and the continued need for research and better treatment options.
If you have blood cancer, you know how difficult navigating your diagnosis and treatment options can be. At HealthTree Foundation, our mission is simple. We want to empower you to:
Own your story. Personalize your support. Power the cure.
Own your story
Blood cancers affect the blood and bone marrow, which play important roles in keeping the body healthy. Unlike some cancers that form a tumor, blood cancers can be harder to see or detect. They are often identified and classified through blood tests, bone marrow tests, and other laboratory testing.
Understanding blood cancer can help you and your loved ones navigate complicated treatment decisions. There are many different types and subtypes of blood cancer and each can affect people differently.
With HealthTree’s patient-friendly education, you can learn what you need to know about blood cancer diagnosis, treatment options, research breakthroughs, and drug approvals to own your story. Our education is written in easy-to-understand language, so it’s accessible to as many people as possible.
Personalize your support.
When you create your personal health record with HealthTree Foundation, you are one step closer to personalizing your support. Research shows that 1 in 5 people with cancer experience a preventable treatment error or delay tied to missing medical history.
HealthTree gives you the tools to create your complete personal health record, at no cost to you.
After our founder, Jenny Ahlstrom, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, she was frustrated by the way her medical records were scattered over many different hospital systems. She created HealthTree’s personal health record as a solution to that problem. With all of your records in one place, you can personalize your support. See trends in your labs, find side effects solutions, and quickly share your records with your care providers.
Power the cure.
HealthTree also powers clinical research. You can participate in surveys or join clinical trials based on your specific diagnosis.
What are the signs of blood cancer?
The signs and symptoms of blood cancer can vary depending on the type of cancer and the person.
Some possible symptoms include:
Fatigue
Frequent or recurring infections
Unexplained bruising or bleeding
Fever
Night sweats
Swollen lymph nodes
Bone or joint pain
Unexplained weight loss
Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean you have blood cancer. Many of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions. However, it is important to talk with your healthcare provider about new symptoms or changes in your health.
Different people may also experience treatment differently. Learn more about possible side effects and how others have dealt with them.
Why does blood cancer awareness matter?
A blood cancer diagnosis may come with unfamiliar language, tests, treatment options, and decisions. Raising awareness can help people better understand what blood cancer is and how it can affect the body. It can also help patients and caregivers know where to turn for reliable information after a diagnosis.
Research is changing blood cancer care
Research continues to change how blood cancers are understood and treated.
Researchers are studying targeted therapies, immunotherapies, stem cell transplants, and new combinations of existing treatments. Genetic and molecular testing is also helping researchers better understand the changes that may be driving a person’s cancer.
Clinical trials are an important part of this research. They help researchers determine whether new treatments are safe and effective and may give patients access to treatment options that are not yet widely available.
Learn more about clinical trials and whether you may be eligible to participate
Patients also play an important role in research. When patients share their health information and experiences, researchers can learn more about how blood cancers behave and how treatments affect people in the real world.
How can you get involved during blood cancer awareness month?
There are many ways to participate in Blood Cancer Awareness Month. You can learn more about your diagnosis, share reliable blood cancer information with others, participate in educational events, learn about clinical trials, or share your experience if you feel comfortable doing so.
Together we care. Together we cure
HealthTree Foundation is a nonprofit organization built by a cancer survivor for people living with cancer. HealthTree’s tools and educational content are designed to make your experience with blood cancer more manageable, and we keep these programs free for the people who need them most. Join today to start using these resources and connect with a community of support.
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