World Lymphoma Awareness Day
Today is World Lymphoma Awareness Day - #knowyournodes. In the United States alone, more than 81,000 cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. In the last several decades, survival rates have doubled from 40% to 88%. This increase is driven largely by a push for public awareness. However, much work has yet to be done. A recent interntional survey asked people if they knew their nodes and asked their knowledge on the ways nodes can impact their overall health. Nearly 50% did not know what they were or their function. We want to change that.
More than 500 lymph nodes exist in the human body, all interconnected via a network of lymph vessels. Most lymph nodes are clustered in the chest, abdomen, armpits, neck, and groin. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, NHL, can develop in any lymph node and can also affect the lungs, liver, stomach, and other extra-nodal organs.
Lymphomas are categorized by several factors – type of lymphocyte, cell size, and the cancer growth rate. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma includes all variations of lymphoma except for Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of an abnormal Reed-Sternberg cell lymphocyte. “The main difference between Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is in the specific lymphocyte each involves,” writes the Mayo Clinic. Hodgkin’s lymphoma rarely metastasizes to other organs, grows more slowly, and is more responsive to radiation and chemotherapy than Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Last year, we wrote on the link often found between night sweats and lymphoma. On World Lymphoma Awareness Day, want to help people suffering understand the importance of sleep for restorative purposes.
Night sweats, chills, fever, persistent lethargy, and feelings of tiredness are all common symptoms of lymphoma. Many of our customers suffer from lymphoma. One customer emailed about the effectiveness of Wicked Sheets when dealing with her husband’s night sweats as a result of lymphoma treatment. “I gave your information to my husband’s oncologist. He was well aware of the medications used the treat malignancies,” in her words, causing, “monster night sweats.”
“Certainly solved our problem,” she added.
At Wicked Sheets, we know the importance of rehabilitative sleep during cancer treatment. Please share our information if you know someone who could benefit from a cooler, drier night’s sleep and consult your doctor with any needed medical advice.
As always, sleep well, sleep wicked.
