On 9th October, I'll be abseiling down the Europa Hotel with my two sisters Victoria and Suzanne, in memory of our dad, Ian Clarke. Three people in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with blood cancer every day making it the 5th most common cancer in the UK by diagnosis and the third biggest cancer killer. This frightening statistic is a stark reminder that although research has come a long way, the outcome for many blood cancer patients remains poor.Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI operate with the main objective of improving survival rates for blood cancers, by supporting the scientists and students researching these diseases in Northern Ireland.In the blood cancer research group based at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queens University Belfast, there are a number of teams working on projects to identify, target and eliminate the abnormalities that cause blood cancer.We are fortunate to have a team of incredibly talented people working with us; the impact of their research is changing lives both locally and globally.None of this would be possible without the continued support of the public.