Blood Cancer Awareness Month: 33 Filipinos diagnosed daily

Representatives of the member groups in the Blood Cancer Alliance of the Philippines
Philstar.com / Kristofer Purnell

MANILA, Philippines — Nine health groups dedicated to helping patients and survivors of Leukemia, Lymphoma, and other blood cancers have formed the Blood Cancer Alliance of the Philippines for better awareness and assistance on blood-related illnesses.

The formation of the Blood Cancer Alliance of the Philippines comes after World Lymphoma Awareness Day commemorated last September 15 and at the tail-end of Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

Based on recent health data, 12,000 cases of any blood cancer are diagnosed in the Philippines annually — including 5,000 cases of Lymphoma a year — meaning on average, 33 Filipinos are diagnosed with a blood cancer every day.

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The Blood Cancer Alliance of the Philippines are composed of the following groups:

  • Lymphoma Philippines
  • EPCALM (Erwin Piedad Cabanag Adult Leukemia Memorial)
  • KAYA (Kanser sa Adolescents and Young Adults)
  • PAPO (Philippine Allience of Patient Organizations)
  • Carewell (Cancer Resource and Wellness Community)
  • Touched by Max, Inc.
  • Takeda
  • The University of Santo Tomas Hospital Hematology department
  • Philippine College of Hematology and Tranfusion Medicine

A recent effort by one of the groups, Lymphoma Philippines, was the launch of the LymphomaQR tool for Filipino patients were individuals can ask about the illness and patients can connect with a community of Lymphoma warriors.

The first version of LymphomaQR tool went up last September 27, and Lymphoma Philippines plans for the tool to cover other blood-related illnesses which Lymphoma patients are often susceptible to.

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