This year, I’m running the Great South Run and David the Junior Great South Run for the Gemma Thomas Fund.  You may already be aware of Gemma’s (the wife of television presenter Simon Thomas) sudden and untimely death from acute myeloid leukaemia (AML); a cancer which also claimed both my dad and grandad.  

Of course there is no nice cancer, but AML is one of the most vicious.  It’s symptoms are easily overlooked and are all too tragically brushed off, whilst survival rates remain lower than for many other forms of cancer in the 21st Century.

Blood cancer symptoms dont have to be cryptic.Simons wife, Gemma, had flu-like symptoms.She visited her GP several times but was told to go home and rest. Three days after finally being diagnosed with leukaemia, she died, leaving Simon and their young son Ethan distraught.We want to prevent other families going through such devastating loss.Blood cancer isn't easy to spot. It has lots of different signs and symptoms which can be confused for other conditions. Thats why its so important that GPs and the public know what they're looking for.Because the more you know, the quicker you'll notice when something isn't right.Every day, 120 people in the UK are diagnosed with blood cancer. Most of them wont recognise their symptoms. And because of that, blood cancer claims more than 40 lives each day, making it the UKs third biggest cancer killer.Were here to put an end to that.