Public awareness and understanding of blood cancer is shockingly low despite it being the 3rd biggest cancer killer in the UK.

There are many statistics associated with the disease: 136 different types, 104 people diagnosed every day, one person diagnosed every 14 minutes. In fact, blood cancer kills more people than breast or prostate cancer every year, yet most of us don’t know much about it and wouldn’t know what symptoms to look for.

Our challenge was to get people in the UK talking about blood cancer like never before, and raise awareness of its signs and symptoms.

Health and wellness, particularly anything communicated by a pharma company to the public, is a challenging, highly regulated space. Messaging must be carefully considered, balanced and contain lots of information.

Our idea, a relevant, impactful public installation, is testament to the power of clear, simple messaging; something often underestimated in healthcare communications.

On its surface, our public awareness installation communicated one profound piece of information – 104 people are diagnosed with blood cancer every day in the UK. By creating an experience where passers-by could metaphorically stand amongst those with the disease, this key message was hard to miss.

Overall, the campaign and installation raised awareness from two separate and sometimes counterintuitive directions: humanising the different elements of a blood cancer diagnosis using emotional patient experiences, while employing facts and statistics on a real-life scale to gain social media traction and shareability.

The target audience for this piece was the general public, which includes patients and healthcare professionals alike. Public awareness and understanding of blood cancer is shockingly low despite it being the 3rd biggest cancer killer in the UK. Raising awareness of its signs and symptoms is beneficial to everyone.

Our approach was grounded in the insight that people are less likely to remember important facts (like signs and symptoms of blood cancer, how common it can be, etc) if they're presented in a leaflet. However, they're more likely to remember real stories and experiences.

That's why we decided to create a high-profile, public installation and partner with a renowned designer. We were going for a unique, impactful and creative way to highlight a simple fact, as well as drive people to understand the signs and symptoms of a disease. A disease that's manageable if caught early enough.

Together with a high-profile designer, we created a typographical forest of 104 names (104 people are diagnosed with blood cancer every day in the UK).

Made from reinforced polystyrene and steel, each represented a real patient living with blood cancer. Every sculpture was sized to match the height of the person they symbolised.

The arrangement reflected patterns that occur when people gather in crowds, and the recurring typeface intended to emphasise their shared experiences.

On closer inspection, people found every name had a real story to tell. Plaques on each name told stories of determination, hope and success. Two separate structures detailed signs and symptoms of blood cancer and directed readers to a website.

They stood in Paternoster Square outside St Paul’s Cathedral in London for 30 days.

Ultimately, the sense of place and importance of making people-centred design work was critical to this project.

- 292 million people reached online and in press

- 1.2 million visitors to the exhibition

- 1 million video views on the BBC

- 500% increase in coverage from Blood Cancer Awareness week 2016

- 9 patient support groups involved

- 1 article in The Lancet, one of the world's oldest, most prestigious medical journals

- In January 2018, the campaign and installation was cited as an example of best practise in the first report of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Blood Cancer

- In September 2018, during Prime Minister’s Questions, Henry Smith MP called on UK Prime Minister Teresa May to make blood cancer visible

- The work was also presented at the Global Design Forum at the V&A Museum during London Design Week 2017