World Lymphoma Awareness Day #WLAD2021

Why World Lymphoma Awareness Day can’t wait

Non-Hodgkins’s lymphoma (NHL), which includes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), is the most common hematological malignancy worldwide, accounting for nearly 3% of cancer diagnoses and deaths. According to the latest GLOBOCAN data, over 500,000 estimated new cases of NHL were diagnosed globally in 2018.

Many patients delay going to their doctor because they don’t realize they have cancer. A global patient survey revealed that 18% of patients waited 6 to 12 months to visit a doctor after first experiencing symptoms; with 8% waiting up to 2 years, 5%?for 5 years and 4% over 5 years.

September 15th marks World Lymphoma Awareness Day (WLAD) and this year it is important that we all support the global lymphoma community’s #WLAD2021 campaign: we can’t wait.

The aim is to emphasize the understanding of lymphoma symptoms and put an end to the unintended consequences that the pandemic has had on the lymphoma community, including hesitancy to seek medical care, delayed diagnoses, uncertainty about treatment, and impact on patient organizations.

We can’t wait to diagnose and treat lymphomas

For people suffering with lymphoma, the sooner a diagnosis is made, the sooner patients can access the right treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic has created hesitancy in seeking medical attention when people are experiencing symptoms and this means that fewer people are diagnosed in a timely way. It is vital that this situation is reversed so that lymphomas are diagnosed in a timely manner so that the prognosis of lymphoma patients can potentially be improved.

We can’t wait to take care of our own health

It is common for the signs and symptoms of lymphoma to be confused with those of less serious illness like the flu, but it is important to recognize the difference. Lymphoma symptoms persist over time and are not linked to infection or another disease. There are currently no screening tests for lymphomas, so awareness is key to ensuring we all put our health first.

We can’t wait to support people living with lymphomas

Receiving a diagnosis is the first step on the journey of living and dealing with cancer. It is critical that on this journey people have timely access to a multidisciplinary care team and the connections to a personal support network. If you would like to support these patients, you may wish to contact your local organization for more information.

Cancer will not wait, so we cannot afford too either. Please visit the Lymphoma Coalition to find out more about this campaign