A cancer charity is asking residents to join its online meetings.

Lymphoma Action is a charity founded by patients in 1986 which helps people across the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands who live with lymphoma in children and young people, Hodgkin, non-Hodgkin, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Symptoms include a lump in the neck, armpit or groin; feeling worn-out for no reason, unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating at night, or constant itching for no reason.

Although the charity doesn’t have a group on the island, regional development manager Karen Bonell, based in Liverpool, created a support group here a few years ago to support all blood cancers as there was nothing on the island.

She said: ’I set this up with the backing of the team at Noble’s Hospital and Manx Cancer Help, who very kindly allowed me to use their meeting room for the meetings.

’I was only expecting a few people, however was surprised when approximately 20 people from across the island came along.

’Obviously, the meetings couldn’t continue with the pandemic as I was travelling from Liverpool and so I launched the online blood cancer support meeting at the start of the pandemic.’

Anyone affected by lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma or any other blood cancer is welcome to join.

It is held on the third Tuesday of every other month at 6pm for one hour. The next will be on Tuesday, April 20.

It’s estimated that every 27 minutes, someone is diagnosed with lymphoma - more than 19,500 new cases of lymphoma are identified in the UK, making it the UK’s fifth most common cancer.

Around 125,000 people are currently living with lymphoma in the UK and it is the most common cancer in teenagers and young adults.

Ms Bonell said that especially during times such as the pandemic, people who are living with blood cancer require support.

Ms Bonell continued: ’At the meetings, we focus on how people are getting on with their diagnosis, how their treatment is going, and concerns. If people experience any symptoms, we would urge them to seek medical advice.

’We welcome people with other blood cancers to the support group. If anybody wants to get in touch with me before the next meeting, I’m happy to speak to them.’

She added: ’I know that online meetings aren’t for everyone, so there’s only been a few people join so far. It would be nice to encourage others diagnosed with blood cancer to join us.’

Meetings are conducted via Zoom and to join, contact Karen Bonell on 07710 393 891, or email [email protected].