As part of our mission to improve lives, Porterhouse is proud to support Action Bladder Cancer UK’s (ABC UK) campaign urging healthcare professionals to play an active role in raising vital awareness of this often-overlooked disease this month.
Bladder cancer affects over 20,000 people every year in the UK [1] and over 610,000 people worldwide [2] Yet despite its prevalence, public recognition remains low. Key symptoms—such as blood in the urine (even once), frequent or urgent urination, and pelvic discomfort—are often missed or misattributed. Early diagnosis can make a critical difference to outcomes, but too often bladder cancer is diagnosed late, especially among women, where symptoms may be mistaken for urinary tract infections or gynaecological conditions.
ABC UK is calling on urologists, specialist nurses, oncology and radiology professionals, GPs, and all healthcare teams to help raise awareness of the symptoms of bladder cancer during May. Every interaction is an opportunity to educate, whether that’s running an information stand in your hospital or clinic, sharing symptom information through social media channels, or simply encouraging patients and colleagues to be alert to the signs of bladder cancer.
“We know that recognising the symptoms early is key to improving patient outcomes,” says Jeannie Rigby, CEO of Action Bladder Cancer UK. “We particularly want to stress the message that blood in the urine should never be ignored. With better awareness, more people can seek timely advice and receive the treatment they need.”
How You Can Help:
- Set up awareness stands at hospitals, clinics, or community events
- Request that your organisation shares bladder cancer information online
- Use social media to highlight bladder cancer symptoms and ABC UK’s resources
- Promote awareness among patients and your professional networks
- Organise fundraising activities to support ABC UK’s ongoing work
To support healthcare teams, ABC UK provides a wide range of materials including printed resources, pens, lanyards, badges, T-shirts, and downloadable social media graphics.
If you would like to get involved, order resources, or find out more about supporting Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, visit www.actionbladdercanceruk.org or contact the team directly at info@actionbladdercanceruk.org.
By working together, we can ensure that more people recognise the symptoms of bladder cancer early—and make a real difference in improving patient outcomes.
About Action Bladder Cancer UK:
Action Bladder Cancer UK works to support bladder cancer patients and their families, improve early diagnosis through greater awareness, and fund research into better treatments and outcomes for bladder cancer.
References
1, Facts about bladder cancer. Action Bladder Cancer UK. Available at: https://actionbladdercanceruk.org/the-facts-about-bladder-cancer/. Accessed April 2025
2, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition. Available at: https://worldbladdercancer.org/awareness-month/. Accessed April 2025
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