Story
<p> In October 2010, aged 31, my world was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) after the Blood Donor service advised me to see my GP for a blood test following some abnormal results. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CML is an extremely rare type of blood cancer and had it gone hidden, I could have been dead in three years, scary stuff. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the short time I’ve been living with this disease, my thoughts have turned to raising money for a charity which is trying to find a cure for this and other types of leukaemia. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve chosen Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research as they offer patients like me hope for the future, hope for a cure and support in the meantime. A chilling statistic is that only 30% of adults with a blood cancer survive, its stats like these the charity is trying to improve.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve always been an active person, completing seven Great North Runs in the last ten years and partaking in a number of smaller local runs so I thought I’d be the last person to receive the news I got! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The drug I now take (Imatinib a.k.a. Glivec), as with most chemotherapy drugs, affect stamina, with other side effects including muscle and joint aches and cramps. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of which I’ve suffered from already. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So despite all that, I’ve decided to take part in two stamina busting events in 2011.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First up <a></a><a></a>was <a></a>a Coast 2 Coast bike ride in June 2011 with the lads from my work, Renolit Cramlington Ltd. We raised almost <a title="C2C Page" href="http://www.justgiving.com/2011c2c" target="_blank">£2,500</a> in what was a fantastic achievement by the lads in some horrendous weather.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And finally for 2011, in September, it’ll be GNR #8 for me, although I doubt I’ll get anywhere near my PB of 1hr 52!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be running it with friends who have been daft…erm….kind enough to join me,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have already held a Cake Day at work, which raised £560 and then a Race Night in Bedlington Social Club which raised a fantasitc £3,023. Thank you to everyone who helped and contributed to two fantastic events. I've also received fantastic donations of around £600 from my employers Renolit Cramlington Ltd.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for visiting my page and I hope you’ll sponsor me over the coming year as my events come and go.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Neil</p>