Strong and silent, altruistic and hilarious, unassuming and remarkable, Ed was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia on October 23rd 2018 after feeling ‘just not right’. He immediately began 2 rounds of chemo & fortunately went into remission. However as Ed’s leukaemia was aggressive and he has a complicated genetic code it was decided that for the best chance to avoid relapse he should have a stem cell transplant. We were so lucky that Ed’s sister Lizzy is a 100% cell match. Shortly before Christmas Ed developed neutropenic sepsis & checked in for his first stay in ICU. He knocked it for six and we got Ed home on New Years Eve.

Ed returned to hospital on January 20th to start preparation for his SCT, which included 8 bouts of Total Body Irradiation. He received Lizzy‘s cells successfully on 29th January. Poor Ed then had a dreadful bout of mucositis along with neutropenic sepsis and returned to ICU. Again he smashed it and recovered steadily over the next two months on his fabulous haematology ward and was preparing to come home when he developed an extreme case of BK virus. After 3 trips to theatre to scrape his bladder it became clear this virus wasn’t taking any prisoners. The incredible ICU team took such good care of Ed but eventually his bladder, then kidneys, then lungs failed.

Ed never gave up his positive and determined attitude and was peaceful when he died with his wife and his Dad by his side. Ed died almost exactly 6 months after his diagnosis. He was 39. He will be forever loved by his wife, their 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter.

You cannot put a cost on treating cancer but needless to say we are so thankful for the NHS. We are grateful to so so many for all his incredible care.