01.05.20
Fighting for vulnerable patients during Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
The month of May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month and to mark the period charity Fight Bladder Cancer is stepping up efforts to raise awareness and try to support efforts to improve the lives of bladder cancer patients and their families.
As one of the most common forms of cancer, there are more than 18,000 people diagnosed each year with bladder cancer in England alone. It is more common in men, but more lethal in women, and indiscriminate in whose lives it impacts.
Raising awareness and showing solidarity with bladder cancer patients and their families can make a big difference and Fight Bladder Cancer is looking to help raise critical funds.
Causes of bladder cancer include exposure to toxic fumes and chemicals and exposure to past radiation. As such, Fight Bladder Cancer has joined forces with the GMB (General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades) union to help prevent workplace exposure to toxic fumes and chemicals as an effort to get ahead of the game and prevent people developing bladder cancer in the first place.
GMB London Regional Secretary Warren Kenny explained: “By working together with Fight Bladder Cancer we can provide a much-needed focus on this overlooked cancer.”
Coronavirus lockdown has also shifted our usual social climate, with people increasingly socialising with one another on digital platforms. As such, the team at Fight Bladder Cancer have looked to develop a range of home-based fundraising challenges and shareable activities to help spread the message and raise awareness safely in these difficult times.
The team at Fight Bladder Cancer have produced a range of materials which can be posted and shared across social media to raise awareness. More information is available on these by emailing the team at [email protected].
Paul Michaels, a bladder cancer patient, said: “Fight Bladder Cancer has made such a difference to me.
“With their incredible support, I've had many questions answered, shared my worries and made friends for life. Despite the coronavirus, this May I'm determined to make the most of Bladder Cancer Awareness Month."
The fifth most common type of cancer, bladder cancer affects many people in society – not only patients, but carers, family members, friends and loved ones – and requires urgent funding the same as other types of cancer, with Fight Bladder Cancer and its network of champions keen to boost the message during this month of awareness.