I am running for Myeloma UK to help make myeloma history! 

My husband Adrian was diagnosed with myeloma two days before Christmas in 2020. I had never heard of it - an incurable blood cancer that only 5,700 people a year are diagnosed with in the UK. 

I didn’t know at the time that 20% of patients die within the first 60 days due to late diagnosis but luckily for us it was caught early: a great relief to myself, Adrian and the kids. The initial chemo and radiotherapy were brutal, and since then the weekly treatment has required constant adjustment due to side effects. Even when he is in remission, hopefully in the next month, Adrian will take weekly drugs for the rest of his life. We don’t know how long that will be, but he’s met people on the same treatment for 20 years. We hope that’s us, or even better that the research we’re reading about will lead to a cure.

Myeloma UK has been a trusted source of news and community for us during this time, especially mid-pandemic. Myeloma UK's research aims to help patients live longer and live better with myeloma, with a cure as an ultimate goal. Research is critically important because myeloma is a complex cancer with relapsing and remitting which means many patients are in desperate need of that next treatment. 

Myeloma UK receive no core Government funding and rely almost entirely on voluntary donations and fundraising. So every pound I raise will make a difference to myeloma patients by helping to fund vital research to discover new effective and safer treatments. As a north easterner who likes a challenge, doing the Great North Run was the obvious way to raise funds for Myeloma UK. I’ve done one half marathon before and it was quite hard so your donations will keep me going!