The Municipality of Loulé joined the Portuguese Association Against Leukemia (APCL) in relaunching the "The Blood in Me" campaign, as part of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, commemorated in September. Under the motto "If I were in charge," the initiative seeks to give greater visibility to hemato-oncological diseases and promote reflection on possible solutions to improve care provided, based on the experience of patients and professionals from the National Health Service.
As part of the campaign, APCL invited nine healthcare professionals and 11 patients to answer questions organized in four areas: diagnosis and access to care, humanization, organization of NHS services, and support for patients during and after treatments. The responses reveal "a strong alignment" among participants and will be disclosed progressively throughout the month of September. In Portugal, blood cancers represent approximately 7.8% of all diagnosed tumors.
The initiative officially begins on September 3, in Lisbon, and will follow various dates related to these diseases, including World Leukemia Day on September 4, and World Lymphoma Day on September 15. The campaign content will be disseminated through APCL's digital channels and partner entities, including the Municipality of Loulé.
Founded in 2002 by survivors and doctors from the IPO in Lisbon, the Portuguese Association Against Leukemia aims to support patients and families, fund scientific research, and promote health literacy. In 2023, it inaugurated Casa Porto Seguro, designed to accommodate displaced patients undergoing treatment.
