People in the Scotland are being urged to learn the four main symptoms of leukaemia after new research published today shows only one per cent can identify the signs.
Leukaemia is a form of blood cancer that affects people of all ages. It is one of the most deadly forms of cancer - the rate of survival is just 50 percent - and it kills more people than prostate cancer and breast cancer.
Fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections are the four most common symptoms, yet a recent public survey by two charities found that found that almost half of Scots (48 per cent) couldn't recognise one of them.
Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care have launched a new #SpotLeukaemia campaign ahead of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
People who are concerned about any of these symptoms - fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections – are being strongly urged by the charities to contact their GP and request a blood test.
The two charities are aiming to raise awareness about symptoms of the disease, which is often diagnosed too late and kills 5,000 people a year in the UK. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third deadliest.
Repeat infections are one of the most common leukaemia symptoms, but only nine percent of respondents in Scotland were aware of the fact, according to the recent public survey.
Fatigue is often the most likely symptom to be identified by those later diagnosed with leukaemia, but 39 percent of people weren't able to recognise the sign.
One Scots woman only experienced a single leukaemia symptom. Melissa McNaughton, 33, from Bridgeton, Glasgow, felt fatigue which she brushed off as working too hard. She was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in 2018 and is not yet in remission.
She said: "Looking back to just before my diagnosis, I felt tired, but other than that, nothing. I have had quite bad health most of my adult life, so I am in and out of the doctors a few times per year. I just put the tiredness down to working too much as I run my own business. I popped into the doctors for my blood test (every few months) to check my iron levels."
She added: "Sitting in the consultant’s room with my mum, dad and husband, I was in my own little world. I heard a few words and could see the consultant’s mouth moving but nothing coming out. I just heard the words 'cancer' and 'leukaemia'."
Her initial leukaemia medication caused her weakness and pain in her bones and muscles, causing her to cut hours at work. At one point, the pills caused her bones to feel so sore and weak they felt like they were going to 'snap'.
She marked her four-year 'cancerversary' this year and has said every day is still a 'struggle' with some days worse than others.
"Cancer will just have to get used to living with me because I am in no way going to let it beat me," said Melissa. "I'm still smiling and not stopping. My blood levels are steadily going down which is great. I have not hit my target yet, but everything is moving in the right direction."
Melissa had to close down her salon of 10 years due to the pandemic, but she has since started a new hair extension business called IvyHQ. In her free time, she and husband love travelling around Scotland with their new puppy, Hope.
More information is available on the Spot Leukaemia website.
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