I spent my birthday last year in the intensive care unit of St George's Hospital. I was happy to still be alive, but not all too optimistic I'd have another birthday.

I was one of the 4000 people each year to get a brain tumour diagnosis. Fewer than 1 in 5 of these people will survive five years from that diagnosis. 

The experience wasn't fantastic and made me (uncharacteristically) want to do something good for some other unlucky sod. So, for my 21st birthday, all I want is donations.

I'm immeasurably grateful for having been flown around Europe and having had hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on keeping me ticking. However, the enormous process highlighted to me that the lives of cancer victims are not easy to save.

There are lives, however, which you can save - harrowingly easily.

After much deliberation, I've chosen a charity called D Rev; who focus on closing the global inequity in medical technologies. The charity's values align exactly with mine, focusing on being as efficient as possible, in order to make funds go as far as they possibly can. They provide:

• Phototherapy for severe jaundice - selling 'brilliance' machines for just $400 - $0.75 per treatment.

• Human milk to infants who wouldn't otherwise receive it - with a return of $35 per $1 invested.

• A technology labelled CPAP for respiratory distress syndrome in infants - estimating a cost of $8 per life saved.

The latter project, CPAP, is where I am focusing my investment. I'm aiming to save 1000 human lives at the cost of £6474.

Please give something, even if it means delving deeper into your overdraft or lobbying your parents. You'll feel good tomorrow, knowing more children will reach their next birthday because of you.