Charity highlights war on disease

From the archive, first published Monday 26th Sep 2005.

A WORCESTER charity has highlighted the number of people recently diagnosed with leukaemia in a special week devoted to the disease.

Leukaemia CARE has revealed that there were 620 newly-diagnosed cases in the West Midlands during the last 12 months.

It has released the figures to coincide with National Leukaemia Awareness week, which runs from today to Saturday, October 5, and highlights all blood-related illnesses that affect some 24,500 people in the United Kingdom every year.

Tony Gavin, Leukaemia CARE's chief executive, said: "In the last 12 months, 50 new cases of leukaemia have been diagnosed in Worc-estershire. Every day of every week of the year, families around this county and across the whole country are battling leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood-related illnesses.

"This special week is highlighting that, and we alongside other leukaemia charities are using the opportunity to talk about the disease and its treatments and what we can do to help."

Leukaemia CARE offers care and support for people who are affected by leukaemia, Hodgkin's and other diseases.

The charity provides support for more than 150 patients and their families in Worcestershire as well as thousands nationwide, and is the only cancer charity in Europe to provide a free 24-hour CARE line.

It is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year and currently gives support in people's homes, in hospitals, through support groups and web message boards to patients and their families and carers nationwide who are affected.

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