Although our lives are not affected by Leukaemia, Jeanine & I have lost her father and my mother to Cancer over the last five years.  We've lucky though, we have a close direct and extended family and we have a very happy and healthy daughter with our second one its way.  So why am I looking to raise money for a cancer that has not impacted our lives directly.

Well, Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, affecting up to 500 children every year in the UK.  About one third of all childhood cancers are leukaemias. Brain and spinal tumours are the next most common cancers, accounting for just under a quarter of cases.  In 2003 (latest complete figures) there were 470 cases of leukaemia diagnosed in children in the UK (0-14 years of age; five year annual average is 466 cases 

That means that making a contribution to this charity has an impact.  There are fewer cases to distribute the funds over and each pound spend makes a real difference to the lives of these wonderful children.  We're at that age (late starters) where our children are very young (Madi is 2, one in the womb) with their whole lives ahead of them.  We have already had wonderful times together and I'm greatful for each moment we have and that we continue to be healthy.

When deciding on a charity to support this year, I started doing some research on them and was touched by the stories of some of those affected...  Here is one, told through Rose's mum, Alison

“Our world fell to pieces on the 13th July, 2006 when, after a series of infections, Rose was diagnosed with bone marrow failure. The next day we were admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Rose was 5 months old.

Our lives changed drastically from that moment.

We had never spent a night away from Tara, our 3-year-old. My husband, Eoin, and I were suddenly living on Lion Ward, the oncology ward, at Great Ormond Street. Luckily my mother moved into our house to look after Tara, but what a blow it still was for our little girl.

On Tara’s first visit she was so happy to be back with her family. It was heartbreaking for us to watch our two girls together. No one had prepared us for how we would cope with missing Tara on top of our devastation at Rose’s diagnosis.

A few days after Rose was admitted she had a Hickman line inserted. This was her second general anaesthetic in less than a week. The operation to fit the line into her chest followed a bone marrow aspirate and lumbar puncture. The line is used to administer chemotherapy and other medication, and to take and give blood.

It was so frightening to see our little girl with these new attachments and heart breaking to think of the pain she must have been in.

We were told that Rose had infant acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a form of leukaemia which is rare and difficult to treat. The doctors gave Rose a 50:50 chance of survival.

Treatment for Infant ALL is brutal. We watched our darling Rose’s body being pumped with steroids. We signed forms to consent to her being given toxic chemotherapy, knowing the hideous side effects that may follow. We had no choice.

As Rose's first Christmas approached, we were so excited that she might be home for it. We were bitterly disappointed when, on Christmas Eve, she got a temperature and ended up in hospital.

In April 2007, just when things seemed to be running a little more smoothly, Rose became very, very sick. An assumed infection worsened dramatically. Rose was transported back to Great Ormond Street Hospital from Kingston hospital.

She had more tubes put down her nose and mouth and was given help to breathe during the transfer. She ended up in intensive care on life-support.

Rose had developed a fungal infection which can be a side effect of
chemotherapy. All her medication was stopped and we prayed that she would
recover.

It was a long, slow battle, but Rose fought her way back.

She had lost so much weight. In the hospital we had to reintroduce tiny amounts of fluids and eventually food. We also had to try to help her to develop ‘normally’, learning to walk and play!

For a long time Rose continued on a concoction of medication and feeds through her naso-gastric tube, which went into her stomach via her nose. We never got used to giving Rose this amount of medication. We never stopped thinking of the damage it could be doing as well as the hope of curing her it offered.

Rose finished her treatment on 14th July, 2008 and she had her Hickman line removed two weeks later.

We cherish every moment with her and pray for her continued good health. We also think of the other ‘little Roses’ who have not been so lucky and hope
for a better cure in the future.”

Please support me and help more people like this live normal, happy lives with their family.  To do my part, I'm going to participate in the World Famous, Nokia Windsor Triathlon in June.  I'm doing the full olympic distance, 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.  Quid pro quo, blood for blood, now donate your muhlaa