Helloo!

This May i will heading home to Ireland and running the Belfast marathon in support of The Friends Of the Cancer Centre. This charity partically focus’s on the care and comfort of those battling cancer whilst also persuing further cancer research and raising awareness. I have chose to fundraise for this charity as i have seen first hand the impact they have on cancer patients lives.

My brother Leroy was only 19 when he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. He learned to live with this disease for 14 months, his whole life had changed in an instant but he still managed to smile and make the most out of everyday. I admire him for his strength and positivity, leroy never gave up fighting even within his last minutes of life.

During Leroy’s battle we got the news that he could receive a stem cell transplant to help cure him, but he would need a donor match. I was the only person who could have the highest chance of being HLA-matched but this was still a 25% chance, we waited 3 weeks to hear that I amazingly was a match. I donated twice, the first time donating 7 million cells through Anthony Nolan which resulted to my brother successfully having his transplant and becoming cancer free. Within this time Leroy spoke a lot about helping others who where going through the same as him, it gave him the opportunity to live his life again, spending time doing the things he loved and creating more memories that where important to everyone. Sadly, he relapsed and I donated for the second time, I donated DLI cells for leroy to receive a cell transfusion but unfortunately he fell too sick for this to happen.

After the toughest months of his life with no signs of weakness only strength leroy peacefully passed away with all of us by his side. There is no word to describe the pain, heartache and emptiness of loosing him. Life is so precious and Leroy would always say ''everyday was priceless’'.

I’m so proud to call leroy my brother and to have had the opportunity to be his donor, he was a very special person, always full of life with an unbreakable spirit who will be remebered by everyone he met. Leroys consistent determination and will power has kept me going when I've felt like giving up and for that I’m dedicating this challenge to the fight of his life, his doctors and nurses who never left his side and The Friends of the Cancer Centre for all of their extra support, if it were not for their endless amounts of help Leroy wouldn't have made it as far as he did.

All donations are greatly appreciated and may help this charity give others some more time.