Five years ago, after a routine blood test, ( Liz), my wife and our mum was diagnosed with Essential Thrombocythaemia (an MPN). Myeloprofliferative Neoplasms are very rare cancers, affecting fewer than one in one hundred thousand people. They strike at the bone marrow, destabilising the body's ability to control blood cell levels and Essential Thrombocythaemia is one of the most common of these MPNs.

Since being diagnosed Liz has struggled to come to terms with her diagnosis.  She didn't know where to go for advice or support and she found very little information about her condition, so she continued with her normal routines but worried constantly if she was doing the right things, as one thing she was told is that people with MPNs are at a high risk of heart attack, stroke and DVTs, so she didn't know whether she was exercising too little or too much and how she should manage her symptoms etc. and over time she became increasingly anxious.  This continued until a few months ago when her consultant told her of a support group called MPN Voice.  MPN Voice is a charity based at St. Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital and Professor Claire Harrison, an expert in MPNs, is the Medical Director leading the drive to fund a UK-wide study of myeloproliferative neoplasms, to understand more about why people get MPNs and ultimately to find a cure. 

It took a while for Liz to make contact with MPN Voice, but since doing so she has been amazed at the level of support they have given her, offering patient forums, medical information days, online support, all of which will help her to finally accept her diagnosis and manage her condition.

MPN Voice is a small charity, who are helping us in a big way, and we want to do our bit to help support them, so we are taking part in the Vitality London 10,000 on the 31st May to raise as much money as we can, so they can continue to help people living with MPNs, like our mum and my wife.

We have never attempted a 10k before, but we are absolutely committed to our new training / fitness regime and promise we will be fit and ready to run on the 31st May!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our family's story and we appreciate your support.

Jamie, Jacob and Sophie Thomas

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