A GROUP of people who have had their lives affected by Myeloma took on a charity trek in Worcester to raise awareness of the blood cancer.
Worcestershire Myeloma Support Group, which is based in Worcester, set up the challenge, which saw a number of people walk a two-mile section of the River Severn on Sunday (September 14).
Myeloma affects multiple places in the body where bone marrow is normally active in an adult, including the spine, skull, pelvis and the rib cage as well as arms and legs.
About 4,700 people are diagnosed with the cancer every year in the UK, with one in five of those patients dying within 60 days of finding out.
But Duncan Henderson, who launched the group after he was diagnosed with Myeloma two years ago, said he hoped the challenge would raise more awareness of the cancer, which is treatable – but will return.
“I set up the group as somewhere for people to come together and share their experiences,” Mr Henderson said.
“When I was first diagnosed there wasn’t anywhere locally where my wife and I could share what we were going through – we wanted to establish a destination where those thoughts and worries could be aired.
“This walk, set up by member Andrew Morley, is the first of our events and it is a way to raise publicity of the illness and cancer – driving donations to the charity.”
His daughter, Kirsty Henderson, 27, added: “My dad has been very lucky to have such an incredible consultant at Worcestershire Royal Hospital which has been amazing.
“You often hear about breast cancer and testicular cancer with ‘Movember’, so it is just about raising awareness of it. The walk also provides the chance for people to get out and about together who are actually dealing with the cancer, so they can talk about it.”
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/WorcesterMyeloma
