Making the signs of myeloma impossible to ignore
When we see a warning sign for a wet floor, we take notice. But sometimes when our body sends us a warning sign, we brush it off.
This was the concept for our award-winning “Know the warning signs” campaign. Last year, we made the signs of myeloma impossible to ignore when we had symptom warning signs painted onto Carly, Mel, Mart and Louise, all of whom are living with myeloma. This year we built on the success of the campaign and took it out into the community.
Together with our incredible community, we took the campaign beyond awareness and into conversations, creating opportunities for people to share experiences, talk openly about symptoms and help others recognise the warning signs of myeloma sooner.
Bringing our community together
During Myeloma Awareness Week this year, we hosted two pop-up events in major shopping centres: Silverburn in Glasgow and Festival Place in Basingstoke. Across both locations, we were supported by incredible volunteers from local fundraising and support groups, including people living with myeloma. Together, we created opportunities to connect with people visiting the shopping centres, and shared knowledge and insight about myeloma and its warning signs.
Over the week, we spoke with individuals living with myeloma who came specifically to meet the team, as well as others who, despite their diagnosis, had never heard of Myeloma UK or the support available to them. Just as importantly, we engaged with many members of the public who had never heard of myeloma before. Visitors left with tailored information, from general awareness leaflets to our symptom translator for those concerned about their own health.
These conversations demonstrated the power of bringing people together. Whether someone was sharing their own experience, remembering a loved one, or learning about myeloma for the first time, every interaction helped spread awareness of the signs and symptoms.
Stories that stayed with us
Throughout MAW, we heard so many incredible stories. These are just a few that stayed with us from our pop-up events:
At Silverburn, a woman approached us by chance. She shared that her mum was currently in hospital preparing for a stem cell transplant, and that she was at the shopping centre for a haircut so that they can regrow their hair together. She doesn’t usually shop there; she described our presence that day as a sign.
We were able to provide her with information about our Infoline and support services, ensuring she and her family know they’re not alone.
Another visitor had seen our event advertised in our e-newsletter and came specifically to speak with us. He has been too nervous to attend a support group, despite being diagnosed over five years ago, yet he felt able to reach out to us at Silverburn. This highlights the importance of being in the community and creating informal opportunities for connection.
Reaching communities where awareness matters most
Alongside these events, we featured 12 digital billboards in key locations including Manchester, Solihull, Rochdale, Salford, Leeds and Birmingham. These areas were carefully selected to reach more ethnically diverse communities because we know that Black people are 2–3 times more likely to develop myeloma than white people.
The campaign also complements the work we are doing with the Race Equality Foundation, as the billboards are in areas we plan to do wider community engagement work.
Getting the signs and symptoms out together with our community
We know how important it is to our community to improve early diagnosis. That’s why we also invited our community to be active participants in the campaign. We provided supporter packs containing posters, symptom translators, coasters, stickers and table toppers. Each item was designed to start a conversation, raise awareness and help people to recognise myeloma warning signs sooner.
Our supporters embraced the campaign, sharing posters with their neighbours, putting them in their local GP surgery, up in their offices or taking them to local businesses.
Together, they helped take the warning signs of myeloma far beyond our own channels and into communities across the UK. By sharing experiences, raising awareness and encouraging conversations about symptoms, our community played a vital role in making the signs of myeloma impossible to ignore.
The campaign’s reach was incredible, from the one-to-one connections made in person, to the millions reached over social media and regional and national news. Helping broaden our reach even further, Dame Kelly Holmes shared her mum’s diagnosis story on BBC Breakfast and social media, whilst former Preston North End footballer Mel Tottoh, appeared on Good Morning Britain and ITV Granada.
With every conversation and every bit of support, we spread awareness of myeloma and its warning signs to more people.
Together, we will make myeloma impossible to ignore.
