We are raising funds this year for research into Lymphoma, a blood cancer which can affect anyone at any age. Two friends have sadly recently been diagnosed

Nicola Holden (married to Jonny Holden, ex front row player known to many at Stoneygate FC, played for 20 years from 1987 and played regularly as a prop forward) developed non Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer last December. Unfortunatley Nicola was very late in being diagnosed and has therefore had a lot of complications with this condition. Part of this has included fitting up to two chest drains as her lungs were filling with fluid, the first episode draining four litres off one lung. Nicola went into hospital on the 28th December and has only just been allowed home for a few days after spending 15 weeks in hospital. She has undergone three chemo sessions and had to be transferred to Glenfield Hospital last month to have a much needed operation to enable her to breath without an oxygen mask. Nicola is 44 and has two children, Megan 14 and Connor 17.

Dave Herbert developed Hodgkins Lymphoma almost at exactly the same time as Nicola, becoming ill and losing considerable weight at the end of last year. Dave was also late being diagnosed (not until mid March) and the cancer has reached his bone marrow. As his blood count was very low he had to have two blood tranfusions prior to his recent first chemo session, but is at least being treated as an outpatient and allowed home in between chemo bouts. Dave will be known to many, if not all at Stonetgate FC, having also joined the club in 1987 aged 19, where he proved to be a talented fly half, famous for his very optimistic rocket passes straight to the wing. During his illness Dave has battled on working and he has just become a member of the Queens Counsel, having been a barrister for over 10 years. However since his diagnosis, he has been forced to cease work. He is 45 and married to Becs. They have two children, Gabriella and Harry

Hope Against Cancer have set up a fellowship in both Nicola and Dave's names to fund specific research, lead by Professor Martin Dyer, targeting cell division in Lymphomas and the effects of chemotherapy on cancer cells against healthy cells. Professor Dyer is the consultant treating both Dave and Nicola