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Banbury dental nurse wants to raise awareness of blood cancer’s warning signs
19/09/2024
27 people in the UK are diagnosed with leukaemia every day
A dental nurse from Banbury who was diagnosed with leukaemia is supporting leading charities Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK to help raise awareness of the blood cancer’s warning signs and stop it devastating people’s lives.
Thirty-six year old Edita Jucaite had a lip filler injection last April which immediately made her lip swell up and left severe bruising. Edita had undergone similar procedures before without an issue. She had also been losing weight and a quick internet search had suggested that she may have leukaemia.
Edita saw her GP and following a blood test the surgery called her and said she needed to go straight to hospital. Further tests confirmed she had chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).
Oral chemotherapy was administered until Edita’s blood count was stable. She is now in remission but will remain on medication for the rest of her life to help prevent the cancer returning.
Edita said: “Not many people can say that lip fillers saved their life – but I can! If the bruising hadn’t happened and I hadn’t been encouraged to see the GP because of it then I may well have put it off again and again which could have then meant the leukaemia may have progressed and been much harder to treat.
“I had no idea about the signs and symptoms of leukaemia – I was happy to be losing a bit of weight as I was about to go on holiday and I drank a lot of energy drinks which may have disguised my tiredness. There definitely needs to be more general awareness of leukaemia and what to look out for so more people can be diagnosed in time for treatment to be effective, like I was.”
Through September Edita is supporting Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK during Blood Cancer Awareness Month. The two charities have released new findings from a YouGov poll of 2,000 UK adults which found that less than a sixth (14%) of the UK adult population are able to identify all the four main symptoms of this deadly blood cancer. These are unusual bruising, unusual bleeding, fatigue, and repeated infections.
The organisations say this is contributing to more than a third of those diagnosed finding out the life-changing news at A&E.
Throughout the UK, there are around 10,000 people diagnosed with leukaemia every year, and almost 5,000 deaths.
People diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are disproportionately affected as over half of them are diagnosed in emergency settings. This type of leukaemia is particularly aggressive and develops quickly, so early diagnosis and treatment are even more essential.
Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have joined forces for their annual Spot Leukaemia campaign which aims to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of this type of blood cancer. The charities are urging anyone experiencing any or a combination of the four most common symptoms to request a full blood count from their GP, a simple yet vital test that can lead to early diagnosis and significantly improve survival rates.
Every day, 27 people in the UK are diagnosed with leukaemia, and currently, over 50,000 are living with the disease. Despite common misconceptions, leukaemia is not just a childhood disease as it predominantly affects those over 65.
Fiona Hazell, CEO of Leukaemia UK, said: “We’re so grateful to Edita for supporting our Spot Leukaemia campaign. Her harrowing experiences, alongside the new data we have, highlight the real and urgent need to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of leukaemia. That’s why our Spot Leukaemia campaign is urging the public and medical communities to both recognise the warning signs and also the importance of requesting a blood test.”
Colin Dyer, CEO of Leukaemia Care, says “The findings call for immediate action. Delayed diagnoses not only devastate lives but also strain the NHS with increased treatment costs. We hear on a daily basis via our support services about the impact this has on patients and their families.
“Knowing the signs and symptoms of leukaemia and not being afraid to ask for a blood test from your GP is really important and something which we will continue to campaign for. Early diagnosis saves lives.”
Moree information is available here.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam