John was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014 and was treated at the Royal Marsden. He went into remission after a year of treatment. In 2016 it became apparent the cancer had returned and by February 2017 he was receiving palliative care as the myeloma was no longer treatable. He was discharged from the Royal Marsden in the June of 2017 to die at home as he wished. He died on the 25th of July that year in the room that had been his private chapel. The Royal Marsden were amazing throughout; the care they provided helped him balance his treatment with working and spending time with his family. They timed his weekly appointments so he could have breakfast with his grandson on treatment days. When it was time for him to leave the hospital they made the whole process really easy for my brother, sisters and I so my mum could ensure everything was in place when he arrived home. They were only part of the care he received but due to their exceptional care he was able to meet his first grandchild and do so many things. As well as still being there to support my mother, the myeloma consultants and their teams and others work alongside others to constantly develop better treatments to be available through local hospitals. After John died, Gillian my mother began crafting to raise money for charities and honesty box grew out of this so it’s only fitting we fundraise for the Royal Marsden this month.