This year Nicola and Gillian, two amazing Teaching Assistants from my childrens’ school are running the Manchester 10k to raise awareness about Aplastic Anaemia, and also blood & stem cell donation. 

I will be in hospital having a bone marrow transplant as they are dashing round the streets of Manchester - I hope I can spot them out of my window! I can’t thank them enough...

We are also hoping for sponsorship to raise much needed funds into research to find more treatment options and cures for this awful disease. Go for it girls!! Please donate if you can!

Here’s a bit about why we are fundraising for The Aplastic Anaemia Trust...

I was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia (AA) in August 2016 and it has turned life upside down for myself and my family.

I've since spent lots of time in hospital away from my children and my treatment is far from over. I hoped to be well enough to do something fun to raise money but sadly I'm not in a position to yet. So...I'm appealing directly to you to help raise much needed funds for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust charity.

AA is a very rare blood disorder that causes bone marrow failure. Few people know about it even though  it is as common as some types of leukaemia and is just as devastating. 

AA is not a cancer but is as serious and life threatening. The treatments patients undergo to get into remission have many similarities to cancer therapies and in some cases are the same, such as stem cell transplants. 

Because Aplastic Anaemia is so rare, unfortunately the Aplastic Anaemia Trust charity does not attract the same interest and support as some major charities. They are totally dependent on the money they raise themselves with the help of their supporters. 

Every year in the U.K. 100 - 150 patients are diagnosed with AA. 30 years ago, no more than 1 in 10 patients survived for a year. Today, 8 out of 10 will be treated so that they have a good quality of life. I consider myself very lucky to have acquired this disease aged 35, rather than during my childhood. 

Please support us if you can, and share with your friends, I will be forever thankful! Xxx

Find out more about the charity here: www.theaat.org

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.