Bloodwise

Last updated
Bloodwise
BWlogo.jpg
Formation1960
Legal status Registered charity
PurposeBlood cancer research, Patient support
HeadquartersLondon
Location
  • 39-40 Eagle St, London WC1R 4TH
Chief Executive
Gemma Peters
Website bloodwise.org.uk
Formerly called
The Leukaemia Research Fund, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Bloodwise (previously known as Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research) is a UK based charity dedicated to funding research into all blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well as to offering information and support to blood cancer patients.

Lymphoma hematologic cancer that affects lymphocytes that reside in the lymphatic system and in blood-forming organs

Lymphoma is a group of blood cancers that develop from lymphocytes. The name often refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumors. Signs and symptoms may include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, drenching sweats, unintended weight loss, itching, and constantly feeling tired. The enlarged lymph nodes are usually painless. The sweats are most common at night.

Contents

Bloodwise's vision is to beat blood cancer. They invest money into blood cancer research to ensure that all patients have their disease diagnosed early and accurately, receive personal, targeted treatments which are effective and have minimal side effects in order to beat or manage their cancer.

History

Bloodwise was originally set up in 1960 as the Leukaemia Research Fund. The charity was started by the Eastwood family from Middlesbrough who began raising money following the death of their 6-year-old daughter Susan. [1]

Since its foundation in 1960, Bloodwise has invested over £500 million in a number of different research projects which have helped improve understanding, diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers.

In 1960 children diagnosed with leukaemia had a very poor chance[ citation needed ] of survival and Susan’s parents were determined to make something positive come from their personal tragedy, so they started fundraising for research that would find a cure for leukaemia. Since then the charity has expanded to include over 150 branches. The research funded by the charity has enabled more people than ever before to survive blood cancer. The survival rate for the most common form of childhood leukaemia has increased to over 90%, and for adults the survival rate is now as high as 70-80% for some forms of blood cancer.[ citation needed ]

In 2011 the charity launched a Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) to enable quicker and greater access to new treatments which has subsequently received government recognition as a model of good practice. [2] This programme aims to make the process of clinical trials quicker and easier within the UK. TAP links 13 treatment centres coordinated by a central hub in Birmingham to set up more clinical trials in blood cancer. Because of this geographical spread, it means 20 million people in the UK could have access to the very latest promising blood cancer treatments, if they needed it. Until 2015, 16 new clinical trials have either been opened or approved thanks to TAP. [3]

A genetic study by a group of Newcastle University scientists published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that another research project funded by Bloodwise had reduced chances of a rare subtype of childhood leukaemia returning by 75%.[ citation needed ]

Newcastle University university in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Newcastle University is a public research university in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. The university can trace its origins to a School of Medicine and Surgery, established in 1834, and to the College of Physical Science, founded in 1871. These two colleges came to form one division of the federal University of Durham, with the Durham Colleges forming the other. The Newcastle colleges merged to form King's College in 1937. In 1963, following an Act of Parliament, King's College became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The Journal of Clinical Oncology is a peer-reviewed medical journal published 3 times a month by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It covers research on all aspects of clinical oncology. All articles older than one year are freely available online. The journal was established in 1983 and the editor-in-chief is Stephen A. Cannistra.

In the financial year 2015, the charity has been able to invest £32.3 million in gross new grant commitments, one of the biggest commitments they've ever made (FY14: £23.2 million). [4] A full list of the charity's current research projects can be found on the National Cancer Research Institute’s International Cancer Research Portfolio.

Activities

The charity receives no government funding and is entirely dependent on voluntary donations from fundraising events or individuals in order to fund its research.

Fundraising Events: The charity holds a number of fundraising events throughout the year including several shows at the Royal Albert Hall and sports events such as The London Bikeathon, which is the largest independently organised bikeathon in the capital. [5]

Sports Events: Supporters of the charity take part in a number of sporting events throughout the year. The events include running, cycling, swimming, triathlons and challenges. Their bright colourful t-shirts can often be seen at events up and down the country, as many supporters take part throughout the year as part of the charity’s unstoppable sports team. [6]

Information and Support Services

Bloodwise also writes and publishes patient information on a wide range of subjects including blood cancers and related disorders, treatment options and lifestyle issues, and booklets specifically designed for children with blood cancers. [7]

Bloodwise provides information for children, parents and many other people affected by blood cancers as well as detailed information on the various types of leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Specific sub-sets of leukaemia [8] included are;

Specific sub-sets of lymphoma [20] included are;

Specific sub-sets of myeloma included are;

Other blood disorder information; [25]

Celebrity Supporters

The charity has a number of celebrity supporters, including Alastair Campbell who is currently their Chairman of Fundraising; their patron the Duke of Kent, Sir Ian Botham who is the president of the charity; a significant number of the Emmerdale cast, a popular British soap opera in the 1970s and 1980s; George Rainsford, actor on British medical drama Casualty; Sam Heughan, star actor of Scottish time-travel drama Outlander, and the Calendar Girls who have raised over £3 million with their story since 1999. [30]

The inspirational story of the Calendar Girls has been recently transformed into a new musical written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, The Girls musical, a show that Bloodwise will benefit from. The musical will run from 14 November at the Leeds Grand Theatre, playing until Saturday 12 December 2015, before moving to Salford's Lowry Theatre from Friday 8 to Saturday 30 January 2016.

See also

Related Research Articles

Leukemia group of cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow

Leukemia, also spelled leukaemia, is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called blasts or leukemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising, feeling tired, fever, and an increased risk of infections. These symptoms occur due to a lack of normal blood cells. Diagnosis is typically made by blood tests or bone marrow biopsy.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphoblastic leukemia characterized by over production of B-cells and their accumulation in bone marrow and blood

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes. Early on there is typically no symptoms. Later non-painful lymph node swelling, feeling tired, fever, night sweats, or weight loss for no clear reason may occur. Enlargement of the spleen and low red blood cells (anemia) may also occur. It typically worsens gradually over years.

Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues tumor that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system

Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues or tumours of the haematopoietic and lymphoid malignancies are tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system. As those elements are all intimately connected through both the circulatory system and the immune system, a disease affecting one will often affect the others as well, making myeloproliferation and lymphoproliferation closely related and often overlapping problems.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society charitable organization researching blood cancer and assisting patients

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer. The LLS's mission is: cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Acute leukemia or acute leukaemia is a family of serious medical conditions relating to an original diagnosis of leukemia. In most cases, these can be classified according to the lineage, myeloid or lymphoid, of the malignant cells that grow uncontrolled, but some are mixed and for those such an assignment is not possible.

Fludarabine chemical compound

Fludarabine, sold under the brand name Fludara among others, is a chemotherapy medication used in the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma. These include chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, acute myeloid leukemia, and acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is given by injection into a vein or by mouth.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is the name given to small numbers of leukaemic cells that remain in the person during treatment, or after treatment when the patient is in remission. It is the major cause of relapse in cancer and leukemia. Up until a decade ago, none of the tests used to assess or detect cancer were sensitive enough to detect MRD. Now, however, very sensitive molecular biology tests are available, based on DNA, RNA or proteins. These can measure minute levels of cancer cells in tissue samples, sometimes as low as one cancer cell in a million normal cells.

Bendamustine chemical compound

Bendamustine, sold under the brand name Treanda among others, is a chemotherapy medication used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is given by injection into a vein.

Hematologic diseases are disorders which primarily affect the blood & blood-forming organs. Hematologic diseases include rare genetic disorders, anemia, HIV, sickle cell disease & complications from chemotherapy or transfusions.

The Working formulation is an obsolete classification of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, first proposed in 1982. It has since been replaced by other lymphoma classifications, the latest published by the WHO in 2008, but is still used by cancer agencies for compilation of lymphoma statistics.

Milatuzumab is an anti-CD74 humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

David J. Flavell FRCPath is a British academic research scientist specialising in the development of antibody-based treatments for adults and children with various forms of leukaemia and lymphoma.

London Bikeathon Londons largest annual charity cycling event

The London Bikeathon is London's largest annual charity cycling event with 5,000 riders taking part in 2012. The event first took place in 1997 and has been held every year since. The ride is the flagship fundraising event of the UK charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research who fund scientific research focused on finding causes and improving diagnosis and treatment for blood cancer patients.

Immunomodulatory imide drug

Immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) are a class of immunomodulatory drugs containing an imide group. The IMiD class includes thalidomide and its analogues.

Acalabrutinib chemical compound

Acalabrutinib is a medication used to treat a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma known as mantle cell lymphoma. Specifically it is for people who had previously been treated with another therapy. It is unclear if it results in improved outcomes as of 2019.

Entospletinib chemical compound

Entospletinib is an experimental drug for the treatment of various types of cancer under development by Gilead Sciences. It is an inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). It has entered clinical trials for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), hematological malignancies, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Camidanlumab tesirine is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a human antibody that binds to the protein CD25, conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer toxin. The experimental drug, developed by ADC Therapeutics is being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of B-cell Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and for the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Christine J. Harrison is a Professor of Childhood Cancer Cytogenetics at Newcastle University. She works on acute leukemia, and used cytogenetics to optimise treatment protocols.

References

  1. ↑ "Our Story". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  2. ↑ "Strategy for UK life sciences: one year on - Publications - GOV.UK" (PDF). www.bis.gov.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  3. ↑ "Our Trials Acceleration Programme". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  4. ↑ "Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for year ended 31 March 2015" (PDF).
  5. ↑ "London Bikeathon - Bloodwise".
  6. ↑ "Events and challenges - Bloodwise".
  7. ↑ "Information and support". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  8. ↑ "Leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  9. ↑ "Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  10. ↑ "Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  11. ↑ "Hairy cell leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  12. ↑ "Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  13. ↑ "Childhood leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  14. ↑ "Chronic myeloid leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  15. ↑ "Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  16. ↑ "Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  17. ↑ "Large granular lymphocytic leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  18. ↑ "Plasma cell leukaemia". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  19. ↑ "Bloodwise - T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia".
  20. ↑ "Lymphoma". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  21. ↑ "Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  22. ↑ "Lymphoma". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  23. ↑ "Bloodwise - Waldenstrom macroglobulinaemia".
  24. ↑ "Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  25. ↑ "Information and support". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  26. ↑ "Myelodysplastic syndromes". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  27. ↑ "Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)". Bloodwise. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  28. ↑ "Bloodwise - MGUS".
  29. ↑ "Bloodwise - Solitary plasmacytoma".
  30. ↑ "Calendar Girls". Bloodwise. Archived from the original on 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
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