On the 19th July 2010 Dylan was  admitted to hospital with what we had thought was another bout of reactive arthritis in his right hip (he had been in hospital 3 weeks previously and this was the diagnosis then). He was in a bit of pain but seemed happy enough on the ward - so I left him and Rach up there fully expecting to have him home in a couple of days.

I was completely numbed when Rach called me that evening to come over to the hospital immediately as the on call oncologist wanted to speak to us both. When I got there we were brought into a side room and told that they suspected that Dylan had Leukaemia. Even writing this up now is making me physically shake. It was the worst news I had ever been told. Quite frankly I thought that was it for the wee man.

Im writing this 3 1/2 weeks after the initial diagnosis - he was started on chemotherapy the day after he was admitted to the hospital and at the minute it looks like the chemotherapy is starting to work. We are at the start of a very long road to recovery but at least he has set off on the right foot.

Cancer research has improved the chances of beating childhood luekaemia in the long term hugely over the past 60 yrs when the likelihood of survival was pretty much non existant.

People have been asking how they could help out and donations to Cancer Research UK seemed to be the best way forward. So here it is! I'll peg it for 10k at the Laganside race and you guys and gals can fire some sheckles in the direction of Cancer Research UK :)