My wife, Julie is the sort of person that wants to help others. She dedicates her life to her children and grandchildren. We look after two grandchildren and a great nephew and spend all our time caring for them.

However in September 2019 we were stopped in our tracks, as after some innocuous niggles, Julie visited our GP, who organised an ultrasound - a mass was discovered, and an early diagnosis indicated bowel cancer.

Not wanting to let this beat her, we took a family holiday with 3 of the grandkids and great nephew during the October half term. While away my wife was taken Ill and after visiting the local A&E, spent a night in hospital. Additional checks and scans indicated that maybe it wasn’t bowel cancer after all.

We returned home and were sent to The Royal Marsden, where a new diagnosis of High Grade non Hodgkinson Lymphoma was reached. Julie was then referred to our local oncology hospital in Maidstone, where she was admitted in mid December.

Scheduled to start chemotherapy the week before Christmas we were thrown a curve ball as further doubts were raised as to her diagnosis. She was discharged and sent away to enjoy Christmas - which she didn’t, as it’s a little difficult when you don’t know what’s going on!

Early January 2020 Julie was readmitted and told that the diagnosis had now changed to Low Grade Lymphoma, Grade 2, Stage 4, suddenly the specialists have changed their view, and instead of talking about cure they are now talking about treatment.

Julie had her first chemotherapy session in early January and is scheduled a total of 6 cycles.

Its already been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and the biggest lesson we have both learned is that time is precious, make the most of it!

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