Thank you for visiting my JustGiving page. This year, I’m taking on the Hyrox challenge in Glasgow to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Charity, a cause that means a lot to me.

I am doing this in memory of my daughter, Abbie.

Since the day Abbie was born, we had no idea just how ill she would become. Initially, we had trouble getting her to feed and thrive. At about 4 months old, we found out she would require major heart surgery. If we thought that was bad, it was about to get even worse.

The heart surgery went all according to plan, and we were so excited that she was healed and hoped that would be her starting point to thrive. Just as we were about to see her, we were asked to go to a private room and were told her platelets were extremely low. In the few short weeks that followed, we learned that it would only get worse. She was diagnosed with a very rare blood cancer called Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). The only cure was a bone marrow transplant.

Devastating as this was, we kept having hope that she would find a donor. We were so fortunate that one was found. After the transplant, everything was looking so good, and everyone thought she would be cured. Unfortunately, about three months later, we were told the devastating news that the transplant had failed.

The doctors told us we could try another transplant, but Abbie would have to endure one of the most aggressive forms of chemotherapy available, causing her immeasurable pain. The other option was to do nothing, but we knew that meant she would die. We took the difficult decision to try again. This time around, she received a cord donor and underwent chemotherapy. Once again, all blood markers were looking positive, and the doctors were hopeful. It was short-lived, as just a few months later we received the devastating news that the transplant had once again failed.

Shortly after, we decided to bring her home to receive her palliative care. In February 2021, we brought her home after spending most of her two-and-a-bit years in the hospital. On Sunday, March 7th, as I was carrying her into our bedroom, she died in my arms.

Abbie endured treatments, surgeries, and conditions, and stayed in intensive care more times than I could even count. But my two-year-old girl laughed and smiled and kept going through all of it. The strength she had is something I will forever be proud of.

By supporting Macmillan, we can help other families stay close to their loved ones and get the support they need when they need it most. Every donation makes a difference, and I’m so grateful for anything you can give to help me honour Abbie’s memory and support this incredible cause.