Alex was only 31 when he lost his short battle with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. He was engaged with 2 daughters then aged 1 and 6. Alex was physically strong and with an amazing sense of humour. He had bought his first house in May 2018, moving in the day after his youngest was born. He was in a job he loved and was having the best time of his life. At the end of August 2019 he was best man for his childhood friend and was so proud that day. Only a few weeks later he developed a cyst at the top of his leg which had to be removed and subsequently the cyst just didn't heal. Over the next weeks Alex was given repeated antibiotics and eventually developed bruising on his body and was exhausted. Eventually Alex felt so ill at work he gave up and drove to the surgery. He saw a different GP who put Alex in an ambulance and sent him to hospital where we received the devastating news on the evening of 6 November 2019 that Alex had Leukaemia, and subsequently we learned it was Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

From the start the team at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford were quite simply incredible. Alex undertook his first round of chemotherapy and came out of hospital mid December 2019. He returned to hospital on 29 December 2019. He never left. After a second round of chemotherapy Alex caught pneumonia and was transferred to ICU in February and was put on a ventilator in early February, albeit he remained completely conscious. Exhausted, and needing much rest, at the end of February Alex was put into an induced coma. He never regained consciousness and subsequently, despite the medical team doing everything they possibly could, we were told on 3 March that Alex would never recover and we had to let him go. We were all with him when we said goodbye for the last time.

His fiancee lost her soulmate. His daughters lost the most loving and devoted daddy anyone could ever have. His brother lost his best friend. We lost a wonderful son who made us so proud.

No one should have to go through what we have and that is why I am raising money for Blood Cancer UK by taking part in the Walk of Light on 27 March. Their research ensures more and more people will beat blood cancer.