A cancer support group from Portsmouth arranged for Spinnaker Tower to be lit up purple as part of World
Lymphoma Awareness Day on Saturday (15/9).
Councillor Frank Jonas, The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Ursula Ward, Chief Executive of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, and Dr Ann O’Callaghan, Consultant Oncologist at Queen Alexandra Hospital, visited the tower for the event and jointly pushed the button that turned the tower’s lights purple.
Margo Berry from the Lymphoma Association’s Portsmouth support group, said: ‘We organised this event to raise awareness of lymphoma. Although it’s the UK’s fifth most common cancer, most people only hear about lymphoma after they or someone close to them are diagnosed. We want everyone to be aware of the symptoms of lymphoma – a painless lump or swelling (often in the neck, armpit or groin), persistent itching, unusual tiredness and excessive sweating, especially at night.’
Ms Berry, who is herself living with a lymphoma diagnosis, also praised the staff at Queen Alexandra Hospital. She said: ‘The support we get from Dr Ann O’Callaghan and her team is fantastic and Wendy White, the Lymphoma Clinical Nurse Specialist, is always on hand to reassure and advise us, answering any questions, no matter how small.’
To date, the group has raised £1,200 to support young lymphoma patients (under 25s) at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
Pierre du Bois, Head of Communications for the Lymphoma Association, said: ‘This was a very successful event and we are very grateful to the team at the Spinnaker Tower for their help and support in helping us organise the switch-on.’
To find out more about lymphoma, please call 0808 808 5555 or visit www.lymphomas.org.uk.
A video of the lighting switch-on can be viewed by clicking here
About the Lymphoma Association
Founded by patients in 1986, the Lymphoma Association is the only specialist UK charity that provides accurate medical information and support to lymphatic cancer patients, their families, friends and carers.
Every year, more than 14,000 new cases of lymphoma are identified in the UK alone, making it the 5th most common cancer diagnosed by clinicians, and the most common cancer affecting the under 30s age group. It is estimated that 75,000 people in the UK are living with lymphoma.
The services that we offer include a freephone helpline, comprehensive free literature, a buddy scheme with telephone links to others with similar experiences, local support groups, regional patient conferences and a website featuring forums and a chatroom.