Bone Cancer Awareness Week 2025
Why Awareness Matters
Too often, bone cancer isn’t considered by healthcare professionals until it’s too late.
Research shows that patients wait an average of 7 months and see up to 8 different healthcare professionals before receiving a correct diagnosis. By this stage, treatment options may be limited, and survival rates are heartbreakingly low.
This Bone Cancer Awareness Week (6–12 October 2025), we are asking everyone to come together to raise awareness, share knowledge, and push for earlier diagnosis.
Sophie’s Story
Sophie Fay, a 25-year-old nurse, first noticed persistent swelling and pain in her calf in April 2024. Despite her concerns, her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as minor or exercise-related.
Seven months later, Sophie was finally scanned for a suspected blood clot. The results revealed Spindle Cell Sarcoma of the Bone. Tragically, chemotherapy was no longer an option, and Sophie underwent an above-the-knee amputation.
Sophie reflects that, despite her medical training, the failure to consider primary bone cancer early on shows how little awareness there is — even amongst healthcare professionals.
Educate Yourself
Primary bone cancers begin in the bone itself and can occur in any part of the body. Around one-third (34%) are found in the long bones of the leg, such as the femur (thigh bone) or tibia (shin bone).
The main types of primary bone cancer include:
- Chondrosarcoma
- Osteosarcoma
- Ewing sarcoma
- Chordoma
Other, less common forms include:
- Spindle Cell Sarcoma of the Bone
- Adamantinoma
- Angiosarcoma of the Bone
- Giant Cell Tumour of the Bone (non-cancerous)
Early recognition saves lives. Look out for persistent pain, swelling, unexplained fractures, or lumps near a bone or joint.
Share Your Story
This year, we’re shining a light on misdiagnosis. Many patients are first told their symptoms are due to growing pains, sports injuries, arthritis, sciatica, tendonitis, or other conditions.
If you or a loved one experienced a delayed or incorrect diagnosis, we invite you to share your story on social media between 6–12 October 2025. By speaking out, you can help educate others and push for faster diagnoses.
💬 On Instagram? Ask us to collaborate.📲 On other platforms? Don’t forget to tag us!
Get Involved
☕ Don’t Let It Brew, Talk It Through
This October, patients with a current diagnosis of primary bone cancer or tumour can claim a FREE £10 Costa Coffee voucher as a small gesture of support.
[Click here to apply ➝]
🍰 Bake for a Breakthrough
Right now, 40% of people diagnosed with primary bone cancer will not live beyond five years – too often because their cancer is found too late.
From 6–12 October, host a Bake for a Breakthrough event at school, work, or in your community. Together, we aim to raise £20,000 for research into faster diagnosis and better treatments.
[Download your FREE fundraising kit ➝]
Take Action
🏛️ Write to Your MP
Your voice matters. During Bone Cancer Awareness Week, we’re asking supporters to write to their local MP and invite them to meet with us to back our life-saving work.
We’ve created a template letter to make it easy to share your story and raise awareness in Parliament. (Available soon.)
Join Us Online
Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing real stories, resources, and key facts to raise life-changing awareness of bone cancer.
Follow us, share our posts, and help spread the message:Early diagnosis saves lives.