In January 2013, my brother Rob Brown was diagnosed with AML (Acute Lymphocytic) & ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic) Leukaemia. He initially received treatment including 3 rounds of chemotherapy at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull at the Teenage Cancer Trust Ward he got the disease infection level from around 40% to 0% by April of that year.

After intensive treatment the only way to stop the disease from returning was to have a Bone Marrow Transplant. A search was undertaken for a Stem Cell Donor. In June 2013 a donor was found and he underwent a Stem Cell Transplant (more commonly known as a Bone Marrow Transplant). The Donor was a 40-year-old man from America who donated his Stem Cells through the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register.

He undertook this procedure at St James Hospital in Leeds. He received a weeks’ worth of full body radiation and some more chemotherapy. Then on June 21st he had a bone marrow transplant which was a big anti-climax really.

A picture of the bag of stem cells he received is attached and took about 20 mins and just went through a drip like if you were receiving blood. With this being a 'transplant' the common perception is that it is very unpleasant but it wasn’t.  Anyone can go on the Anthony Nolan register (www.anthonynolan.org) and save a life by giving stem cells. I believe this only takes around 5 hours to give cells (if you are a match for someone) to save someone else's life

Rob said “I don't think there is a better gift in the world than saving someone life” so after his Bone Marrow Transplant Rob lived his life to the full with many unforgettable moments and memories.

He began his support for the Teenage Cancer Trust while undertaking treatment and was inspired by the work Stephen Sutton was undertaking in a similar situation to Rob. He was involved in many fundraising opportunities including baking for Cake Sales and doing bucket collections. This is where his close relationship with Hull City began in particular with Hull City's Marketing Manager James Mooney, the Teenage Cancer Trust was named Hull City's charity of the year in the 2014-15 Premier League season and he undertook numerous bucket collections during the season before games, over the season they managed to raise in excess of £50,000.

His greatest day as a Hull City fan was the FA Cup Final in 2014, being given a new lease of life made him enjoy this day even more, he was especially fond of his Steve Bruce mask! Being 2-0 up in a FA Cup Final was something that that we are all never likely to see again. He manged to get onto BT Sport, Sky Sports and Look North and meet a number of famous faces. It didn’t matter that Hull City lost he had been at games at Boothferry Park and in League 2, he knew this was beyond words. The FA Cup journey meant a brief but memorable trip into the Europa League, Rob along with his friends Ollie and Bradley and his Dad went to Lokeren the atmosphere was brilliant and every minute was taken in, not just by Rob but by every single Hull City Fan.

In January 2015 he received a visit in hospital from Curtis Davies the captain that walked out Hull City at that most memorable day in May 2014. He had met Rob before as part of the wards birthday celebrations but this is where their friendship started. Curtis continued to visit Rob at home and when in hospital enjoying games of pool, watching the US Office and talking everything Football! Curtis brought Rob a number of gifts during his visits including some boots and a match worn shirt. Meeting and talking to Curtis always gave him a boost he so desperately needed.

During the 2014-15 Premier League season Rob and all of the Family were invited to have hospitality as guests of the club when City played Arsenal. James Mooney greeted us and took Rob down to the dressing room to meet the players, get a shirt signed and to meet the manager. Curtis wasn’t playing that night due to injury so came up to have a chat with us all. In the lounge we were being looked after by City Legend Dean Windass and ironically Cancer survivor John Hartson. During this Season Rob followed City up and down the country when he was able to with visits to Chelsea and Tottenham just to name a few.

In July 2015 he received the news that his leukaemia had
returned and that his condition was terminal. this did not deter Rob and he continued to live life to the full.

On the first day of the Championship season vs Huddersfield just days after his terminal diagnosis Rob received support from his favourite club, all players wore warm up shirts with his Name and 21 on the back. The hashtag #StayStrongRob was shared all across social media with support being received from Hull City Current and Former Players Tom Huddlestone, David Meyler, John Erye, Paul McShane and Olympic Boxing Gold Medallist Luke Campbell and David Lynn PGA Tour Golfer.

Rob lived life to the full after that going to the Open at St Andrews and watching England win an Ashes Test Match at Edgbaston.

One of Robs wishes was to ensure he was at our wedding, I had already asked him to be my best man, after his terminal diagnosis we had to quickly re-arrange the wedding (twice) to ensure he was there. What mattered the most to me and Jazz was him being there and he was. He gave a brilliant Best Man speech and managed to get through two other wedding parties after this to celebrate with our friends too.

Rob made it through Christmas 2015 and New Year, and my Birthday and he continued to visit to Teenage Cancer Trust Ward at Castle Hill for treatment. Unfortunately, he lost his fight on 8th January 2016.

I made 10 promises to Rob at Christmas in 2015, one which was to raise £20,000 for the Charity that had supported him so well.

The Teenage Cancer Trust was there was initial diagnosis right until the end of his life. Offering care and support from the nurses and doctors. Giving him a break from the struggle of battling cancer. Offering anything to make his battle more comfortable.

We all know someone has been touched by cancer, however cancer in a young person is so much more difficult and this why the Teenage Cancer Trust support is so vital to young people without them I am not sure how Rob and the family would have been able to cope.

We aim to raise at least £20,000 in memory of Rob though numerous fundraising opportunities. After his passing support from friends, family and strangers alike has been overwhelming. I hope that Rob’s memory will live on in the years to come. The introduction to the Rob Brown Soccer School at Westella and Willerby as well as the Annual Rob Brown Golf Trophy and other events will ensure his legacy lives on.

We could not finish Rob’s story without going back to his support from Hull City. Hull City played Brighton Hove Albion in an FA Cup tie the day after Rob died. Me and my Dad wanted to go because we knew it would have been what Rob wanted. Fittingly the winning goal was scored by ‘Rob’ Snodgrass and Curtis wore a black arm band in his honour.

At the Charlton game a week later a tribute was planned for Rob, a minute’s applause in the 21^st minute of the game was supported by all in the ground even the away fans. His picture appeared on the score board and almost fittingly Curtis almost scored in the 21^st minute. City went onto win the game 6-0, I think all who attended that day knew that Rob had something to do with that. Ironically Charlton was Rob’s last away game he attended and his old tutor at school was a huge Charlton fan, so I’m sure he planned this all along!

The season was not over and all that Rob would have wanted was for Hull City to get back in the Premier League. A special moment came in the home game against Bristol City when Curtis scored, he dedicated his goal to Rob and pointed to the sky when he scored. After a faltering run-in to the season City missed out on automatic promotion but all was not lost and a play-off adventure loomed.

Prior to the play offs James Mooney invited us to the end of season player of the Year Awards Night at the KC Stadium. An award was to be created in Rob’s honour and it was to be awarded to Curtis, what a fine tribute from the club.

There was no doubt in my mind that Hull City would reach the Premier League through the Play Offs, Rob knew this was the best way to go up and it was an excuse for another trip to Wembley. Rob was looking down on the team that day and they did not disappoint beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 with a wonder strike from Mo Diame.

Memories of Rob will never disappear and he will always be looking down on us all. If you have been inspired by his story, please donate as much as you
can, every penny counts.

We have been continually raising funds for Teenage Cancer Trust over the last 2 years undertaking Tough Mudder, the Great North Run, numerous bake sales and lots of other fundraising activities.

In March 2017 we held the first annual Rob's Promise Ball, we had over 300 people attend, with raffles, auctions and live music. We also had a very special poem read about Rob made by our friend Ben Taylor (Yorkshire Prose). This night we managed to raise over £15,000! It was a huge success and one of the largest charity balls in the local area, we are therefore planning to make it an annual event with Rob's Promise Ball being held at The Country Park Inn, Hessle on 26th April 2018.

I also kept another promise to Rob and ran the London Marathon in April 2017 in a time of 5 hours and 22 minutes, however the time didn't matter it was all about making good on that promise I made to Rob. The atmosphere was incredible that day. The biggest memory that day was the crowds and the exhaustion!

We have managed to reach the target total and have to date raised over £27,000 and we hope to continue to raise much needed funds for Teenage Cancer Trust

Donations towards to the Teenage Cancer Trust in Robs memory can be made on this page and every penny will go to help young people with cancer.

Here are some links to some of the stories in the media and the video of the poem read by Yorkshire Prose

https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/support-us/fundraise/news-my-area/robs-promise-ball-raises-roof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygeXY417vDs

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