Nikita: "Hello, me again!! I must be mental but in July I will be cycling the Manchester-Blackpool bike ride to raise money for The Christie Hospital, a place very special to me! I was treated for osteosarcoma bone cancer at The Christie from 2012-2013 and literally owe this place my life!! The work of  the amazing hospital and of the staff got me through the most difficult time of my life and out the other side; I can never show enough gratitude for this! After two years of not walking I am now able to challenge myself in cycling this tough 60 mile ride from Old Trafford football ground and finishing by the mirror ball in our hometown Blackpool! This will be very special ride as I am doing it alongside my mum, Regina, who was with me every single day at The Christie and spent as much time there as me! We know first hand how important donating to such a cause is; the money is essential for new equipment and the latest research and medicines etc. This is so important to me. Also joining us in the cycle is my special friend's husband, Dan, and his good friend Ian! Ian will be cycling in memory of his friend Sten.*

I met so many amazing people at The Christie, including a very special boy called Abe; we had exactly the same type of cancer in our leg and we started chemo on exactly the same day and finished on exactly the same day 8 months later. We spent a lot of time together in the music room jamming and had a lot of laughs there even after we finished treatment. Unfortunately Abe's cancer came back last summer and he was not as lucky as myself; Abe died at the beginning of January this year. Life is cruel, the feeling of happiness for myself but guilt for someone else is hard to comprehend. It is still so hard to understand how I am here and he is not. He was so brave and I wish he was still here. I will be cycling the bike ride for Abe! *

So please, everyone give as little or as much as you can to such an amazing cause, a hospital that treats and helps to cure people of this awful disease that takes so many people's lives. It will touch all of us at some point in our life, so please help The Christie to give people their life back. If nothing else, please read this story and always remember how precious life is, every single day. Thank you xx

Nikita xx"

Regina: "I can honestly say that the 8 months I spent with Nikita at The Christie changed my perspective on life. I have never met so many amazing, extraordinary people from the patients and their families to all the volunteers, staff, therapists, social workers,nurses, surgeons, oncologists. The care and support Nikita received was outstanding not to mention the support they gave me and I feel blessed that Nikita was under the care of The Christie. I cannot express my gratitude enough.