Haematology is a complex and varied field with many challenges. Haematology professionals have worked to overcome these in the past and continue to tackle current challenges.
In the words of our Past Presidents
‘…we started up quite quickly in Birmingham, a clinical trials programme, we had no funding for research nurses, so we had to set up our own charity. And we quite quickly had a research network in the region and were able to push through some really quite nice clinical trials in leukaemia and myeloma which got published.’
Charles Craddock, BSH President 2017 - 2018
‘…if you have a choice between doing something that's easy or doing something that's difficult, choose the difficult one, because you never know where it will lead.’
Patrick Carrington, BSH President 2015 - 2016
‘…if we can understand the pathogenesis of leukaemia, then it allows us to not only optimise the therapy so that you can balance the risk/benefit in favour of the patient, but the chances of actually improving outcome are also there at the same time.’
Angela Thomas, BSH President 2012 - 2013
Highlights from the haematology timeline
Our haematology timeline highlights many examples of overcoming obstacles, including:
- 2012 Standardised haemoglobin units of measurement
- 2001 The origin of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura identified
- 1990 Management of CML relapse post-transplant with donor lymphocyte infusions
- 1988 Landmark study: A trial shows that acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) can be cured in young patients
- 1978 Cyclosporin developed to reduce graft v host disease after bone marrow transplantation
- 1964 Launch of first Medical Research Council (MRC) myeloma trial
Browse the full timeline for more examples using the link below or in the right-hand menu.
Reflections from the haematology community
In preparation for our 60th anniversary, we invited members of the haematology community to share with us their thoughts and reflections.
Find out more about our anniversary video contributors.
It is not too late to participate – please send your story to [email protected].
The views expressed in the material filmed for the anniversary are those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent the views of the British Society for Haematology.
Filming took place during the second half of 2019 and the start of 2020, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.