My Dad lives with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He was diagnosed in August 2000 when I was seven and my youngest brother was one. My Dad was 41.

Over 12,200 people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma each year in the UK. The type my dad has is low-grade which means that the cells appear to be dividing slowly. These lymphomas behave in a chronic way, sometimes active and sometimes inactive. Doctors aim to control advanced low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma rather than to cure it.

People with low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma can often go for long periods when they feel well and don't need treatment. This is often referred to as ‘watch and wait’.

It is estimated that approximately 75,000 people in the UK are currently living with lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is inoperable and currently incurable. Living with this particular cancer requires frequent intervention. Over the course of the disease, my Dad has had two redundancies and difficulty getting employment, a number of chemotherapy programs, radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant; in 2013 there was need for another 6 months of treatment.

When my Dad was initially diagnosed he was given no information regarding support which is what the Lymphoma Association helps to provide.

How your money helps

£3 - Could help to put someone in touch with a buddy, providing support and reassurance from someone who has been there.

£10 - Could pay for a lymphoma awareness pack to help people raise the profile of lymphoma within their local community.

£22 - Could fund a call to the Lymphoma Association helpline, enabling someone to cope with the worry and anxiety they face when dealing with a lymphoma diagnosis.

£50 - Could fund high-quality booklets and information sheets, available without charge either directly from the Lymphoma Association or through hospitals and cancer care units.

£260 - Could support one of the Lymphoma Association's local groups who help people affected by lymphoma to feel less isolated and more supported.