In 2003, at the age of 37 Des Hughes was diagnosed with Leukaemia.  He endured 8 months of gruelling chemotherapy which nearly took his life.  From his treatment bed, Des was organising fund raising and was immensely proud that with the support of family and friends he raised £23,000 for Leukaemia Research and the Heamotology Unit at Wycombe Hospital.

He remained in remission for five years until his relapse in September 2008.  Following a stem cell transplant, Des developed Graft vs Host Disease and died in September 2009.

Such a remarkable man and his efforts cannot just pass.  The Des Hughes Forget Me Not Fund has been formed by family and friends to honour his memory and to help others win their battle against blood cancers.

In our first year we raised over £30,000 to fund the running costs of a research project that was looking at ways of managing Graft Vs Host Disease.  This was a fantastic achievement due to so many peoples support and generosity. We are continuing to raise funds for this wonderful charity, which receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations from the great British public. This work will improve the survival rates of those diagnosed with a blood cancer. This work will save lives.

We thank you for your interest and hope that you will support our campaign.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.