The Timilehin Leukemia Foundation (TLF), an NGO, has called for dedicated blood banks to cater for leukemia patients.
The Founder of TLF, Janet Bamidele, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a street walk and awareness programme for voluntary blood donations for Leukemia patients.
Leukemia is the production of abnormal white blood cells from bone marrow and lymphatic tissues.
Excess production of such white blood cells affects the production of normal blood cells, which are essential to fight infections, carry oxygen, and help clot blood.
According to www.cancer.gov, leukemia is a broad term for cancers of the blood cells.
The type of leukemia depends on the type of blood cell that becomes cancer and whether it grows quickly or slowly.
Leukemia occurs most often in adults older than 55, but it is also the most common cancer in children younger than 15.
NAN reports that World Leukemia Day, marked annually on Sept. 4, is a global campaign in collaboration with patient groups across the globe.
The non-specific signs and symptoms of leukemia make it difficult to spot. There are over 300,000 deaths caused by leukemia worldwide.
According to the organisers of the voluntary blood donations for leukemia patients, the campaign is vital as survival rates for leukemia are lower than most common cancers.
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“Though the actual statistics of leukemia patients are not available in Nigeria due to the difficulty in raising the awareness, yet there are many unknown patients dying daily.
“It will be a good initiative to have a dedicated blood bank for the leukemia patients. This is because they are patients with a special case and deserve special attention for blood.
“Just because of the number of the patients, we need to know how they are being cared for, how much bloods are available for them.
“Having a dedicated blood bank will help the patients and they won’t have to source for their blood needs from the general blood banks where it will be sold to them.
“Because of the volume of blood needed by leukemia patients, they will need free blood donations from well-meaning Nigerians,” she told NAN.
Bamidele also said that the month of September set aside for the leukemia awareness and care should be given more priority to sensitise the public on the need for more voluntary blood donations.
“This month of September is a special month for leukemia patients, and we are doing special things for their survival, and this is to create more awareness for blood donations.
“We at TLF, have dedicated two days on Sept. 4 and 5 for voluntary blood donations.
“So, we are going to have centres at Ikeja under bridge for this exercise.
“There is need to have adequate blood available for the leukemia patients because what we have in the banks now is not sustainable,” she said.
