Blood cancer support next month

Tāmaki Makaurau - Eight Kiwis, adults and children,  are diagnosed each day with a blood cancer but a major national head shaving campaign next month is helping the cause.

The Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand’s shave for a cure event around New Zealand next month will raise awareness and help those with cancer. Last year, the Farmers campaign raised $235,655.61, All of which was donated to Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ.

The campaign has been running for over a decade. Shave for a cure helps Kiwis to show their support for cancer patients. Many of them who lose their hair as a result of life saving treatments such as chemotherapy.

The Farmers department store is supporting the campaign again this year by taking donations at any store between May 5 and 25 and they are also staging shave events at their stores.

This year, Farmers are hosting 11 community shave events in stores across New Zealand.

With more than 21,000 New Zealanders living with blood cancer, a number of Farmers staff have been personally affected, and many of them take up the challenge to shave their heads to show solidarity.

There are an estimated 21,000 people living with blood cancer or a related condition in New Zealand.

Blood cancers combined (leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma) are the fifth most common form of cancer in New Zealand

Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer while lymphoma is the most common cancer in 15 to 24 year-olds. The cause of blood cancers is unknown.

The diseases can strike anyone, of any age, at any time, without warning. Immediate treatment may be necessary and that treatment can go on for months or even years.

A diagnosis of a blood cancer can have far-reaching consequences. A diagnosis can change a person’s life overnight and has a huge impact on patients, families, friends and their incomes.