Rachel was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2005 aged 3. She finished treatment in August 2007, and all is currently well. We thank our lucky stars every day - and amongst the brightest of those stars is Leukaemia Research.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Leukaemia Research, who have funded research that has seen survival rates in childhood leukaemia rise from 20% to 85% since Sir Ian first got involved in 1985. However, they have more work to do: they need to raise £100 million over the next 5 years to fund the next stage, to further improve the treatments and hopefully find that elusive cure. Help us to help them, by sponsoring us to complete this leg of Sir Ian Botham's Great British Walk.

You can read more about Rachel's treatment and life over the past 3 years on www.caringbridge.org/europe/rachel - we don't update the journal as often now, but hopefully the updates that we do write will encourage those in the throes of the treatment regime that there is a real chance the dark times will pass, and that there really might be light, and normality, at the end of the tunnel. But that is only thanks to relentless research, a huge chunk of it funded by this wonderful charity.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Leukaemia Research gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor us now! And, as I saw on someone else's fundraising page, if you can't give cash, why don't you donate blood instead? Rachel, like all leukaemia patients, would not be here if it wasn't for something like 26  life-saving blood transfusions.