Monday May 25, 2020

The Leukaemia Foundation is proud to announce it will once again be one of the charity beneficiaries of the Dry July Foundation for the Dry July 2020 campaign. Funds raised will help to support the vital work of Blood Cancer Support Coordinators across the country.

Every day, 41 Australian men, women and children will learn they have a blood cancer such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Blood cancer is one of the most common, costly and fatal cancers in Australia. There are no screening programs available for blood cancers, and there is no way to prevent blood cancer through lifestyle change.

Acting General Manager of Fundraising Rachael Lance said Blood Cancer Support Coordinators were a crucial part of the Leukaemia Foundation’s front line support service, providing Australians living with blood cancer access to the right information, the best treatments, the latest trials and diagnostic tools and the best supportive care services to help people not just to survive – but also to live well.

“The Leukaemia Foundation’s team of Blood Cancer Support Coordinators ensure that Australians diagnosed with a blood cancer have someone to turn to when they need it the most, no matter where they live,” Ms Lance said.

This is the third year the Leukaemia Foundation will be a charity beneficiary of the Dry July Foundation. Funds raised through Dry July this year are even more important in 2020 as the Leukaemia Foundation continues to battle a rising demand for its services amid the current COVID-19 pandemic.

”Dry July Foundation is proud to be working with the Leukaemia Foundation again this year, to help fund their vital Blood Cancer Support Coordinators,” said Brett Macdonald, CEO and Co-Founder, Dry July Foundation.

”People affected by blood cancer need our support now, more than ever. By going Dry this July, participants will be doing something positive for their own health, while raising funds to support people affected by blood cancer.”

Recent research has also suggested patients with blood cancers were not only at higher fatality risk if they contracted COVID-19 (6-11 per cent)[1], but they also experienced worse symptoms. The fatality rate in people living with blood cancer with COVID-19 was also the highest in cancer compromised patients (33 per cent)[2].

“Australian blood cancer patients need us now more than ever,” Ms Lance said.

“Unfortunately, blood cancer doesn’t stop for a global pandemic and neither do the needs of people living with blood cancer,” she said.

“We know times are tough, and we hope Australians will take up the challenge in any way they can to help ensure no-one with blood cancer is ever alone, and that our Blood Cancer Support Coordinators will always be there to offer help, every step of the way.”

To sign up to Dry July and support the Leukaemia Foundation go to www.dryjuly.com/leukaemiafoundation.

ENDS

About Dry July

Dry July is a national fundraiser that challenges Australians to go alcohol-free for the month of July while raising funds for people affected by cancer. Run by the Dry July Foundation, funds raised through the Dry July campaign go towards cancer support organisations across Australia, to help improve patient comfort, care and wellbeing.

[1] Wenhua Liang,Weijie Guan,Ruchong Chen et al. Cancer patients in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide analysis in China. The Lancet Oncology Mar 2020 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30096-6

[2] Hui Li, Liang Liu, Dingyu Zhang et al. SARS-CoV-2 and viral sepsis: observations and hypotheses. The Lancet. Published online April 17, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30920-X

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