The Leukaemia Foundation today revealed that blood cancer is one of the most urgent and under-recognised women's health issues in Australia, with three times more Australian women diagnosed with blood cancer than ovarian and cervical cancer combined[i].
Blood cancer has also emerged as the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women overall – behind only breast cancer – and the leading cancer amongst girls and women under the age of 30[ii].
Marking the start of Blood Cancer Month (September) and coinciding with Women's Health Week (1–5 September), the Leukaemia Foundation is calling for national attention to the devastating and growing impact of blood cancer on women in this country.
"We are currently facing a crisis in women's health that most people don't know exists," said Leukaemia Foundation CEO, Chris Tanti.
"In 2024, more than 8,300 women in Australia heard the devastating words 'you have blood cancer'[iii]. Within ten years that number is expected to almost double, meaning over 15,000 women will face this life-changing diagnosis[iv].
"The toll in lives lost is even more confronting. Last year alone, 2,530 women lost their lives to blood cancer[v]. By 2035, that figure is projected to soar past 6,500 – almost three times as many[vi].
"We cannot afford to sit by and stay silent any longer. These are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends – women who are in the middle of raising families, building careers, and caring for others. Blood cancer is cutting their lives short, shattering futures, and leaving families devastated."
Blood cancer takes an immense and brutal toll on women's lives beyond the physical fight for survival.
Women face longer, more intensive treatment regimens than many other cancers, often requiring lengthy hospital stays or relocation to a capital city to access specialist care. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also cause irreversible and heartbreaking infertility.
The financial and emotional burden of blood cancer on women is equally severe:
- Women with blood cancer are more likely to be out of work than those with other leading cancers[vii].
- 42% of patients are forced to take more than three months off work, 30% leave their jobs entirely, and half have not been able to return to work[viii].
- Patients face average out-of-pocket costs of $5,000–$11,000, compared to $2,500 for other cancers[ix].
- 70% of people with blood cancer experience emotional challenges after diagnosis[x].
Women also make up 72% of Australia's primary carers[xi], yet with a debilitating diagnosis like blood cancer, their ability to care for others is significantly diminished, impacting families and communities nationwide.
"The day I was diagnosed with blood cancer will stay with me forever," Ms Bartholomew said.
"When my doctor told me, I had no idea what to expect and what was ahead. But fortunately, my diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia was early, and I have been extremely lucky.
"Thanks to research, I am able to take a tablet that helps me to live a full and healthy life. My results are also a testament to the importance of regular health check-ups.
"I want women in Australia to know that this disease exists and its serious, but if it touches your life that there is a community here to hold you up.
"You are not alone in this fight and organisations like the Leukaemia Foundation are here to help and support you and your loved ones every step of the way."
Unlike most cancers impacting girls and women in Australia, blood cancer cannot be prevented or screened for, and it can happen to anyone at any stage of life.
And despite incidence for women increasing by 70% in the past 20 years[xii], only 12% of blood cancer research funding in that time has gone to prevention, early detection, and diagnosis – proportionally below the research investment of other leading cancers such as cervical (90%), melanoma (55%), lung (37%) and breast (22%)[xiii].
"The burden of blood cancer on girls and women in Australia is real and we are seeing it firsthand on a daily basis," added Mr Tanti.
"They're bearing the brunt of this insidious disease and without better care, support, treatment and investment in vital blood cancer research, thousands of women won't get the chance to live out the plans they've made for their lives.
"It's time to speak up, speak louder, and act faster – women in Australia depend on it and we need to ensure that every girl and woman has the awareness, information, support and care they deserve so they can survive, and furthermore thrive, after blood cancer."
For the past 50 years, the Leukaemia Foundation has been caring for and supporting Australians affected by blood cancer by providing accommodation while they are undergoing treatment, assistance with transport to appointments, education and information about their blood cancer, as well as other practical, financial, emotional and mental health support.
This Blood Cancer Month, the Leukaemia Foundation is urging Australians to get informed and help support girls and women impacted by blood cancer by visiting leukaemia.org.au.
