In June 2016, following the removal of a dodgy mole from my back, I was diagnosed with stage 2c melanoma cancer. This was the start of a journey that introduced me to the fantastic team at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

From my initial diagnosis, my Melanoma developed from stage 2c to stage 4 within the space of 9 months. As little as five years ago, a stage 4 diagnosis provided an average life expectancy of between 6-9 months; traditional cancer treatments were simply not effective in treating stage 4 Melanoma.

Fortunately with on-going research, clinical trials and the development and use of immunotherapy treatment, for a number of patients the outlook for a longer life is much brighter. More however needs to be done to better understand Melanoma and why some patients respond to immunotherapy treatment and why some don't and to identify and treat the potentially serious adverse effects of the immunotherapy. Unfortunately there currently remains no known cure.

My treatment is at the cutting edge and the team at the Royal Marsden are right at the forefront of it. I want to help raise funds to specifically help in the future research and development of effective treatment for patients with Melanoma. All funds raised will be allocated to the research and development fund administered by my oncologist Dr James Larkin.

The Royal Marsden was founded in 1851 as the first hospital in the world dedicated not only to the treatment of cancer, but the research into the causes. This work continues to this day, with a focus on research into the latest cancer treatments and techniques, ensuring that patients have access to pioneering treatments.

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.

The Shomelanoma team have embarked on various fundraising activitities and we'll keep you up to date via the blog and Justgiving page on all of the team's progress.

www.shomelanoma.com