Other Donation Page: www.justgiving.com/tayla-the-tank

Hi, our names are Matt Taylor and Toby May and we're both currently studying Coach Education and Sport Development at Bath University!

The Story: Myself and Toby are running Tough Guy 2011 (www.toughguy.co.uk) not only for charity and for personal achievement, but most importantly in memory of mum who passed away on the 17th January 2010. My mum had been fighting Acute Myloid Leaukemia (AML) for 3 long and difficult years, after first being diagnosed in the summer of 2007 after lumps appeared on her skin and leaukemic cells appeared in her bone marrow. She went through Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Transfusions and finally a stem cell transplant from my which was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. It was a very long procedure as at the same time my Aunty was also being extremely brave as she was diagnosed with early forms of Breast Cancer, which stopped the treatment for some time until my Aunty had recovered and was able to give her stem cells. 

After the transplant in 2008, my mum was given the all clear and was in remission by that Christmas, and although my mum had some reactions to the treatment, and regular checks at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, we had a really good 10 months, which we enjoyed as a family; and helped me focus on my A-Levels! 

It wasn't until the November of this year, that from Uni I could tell that not everything was a good as it sounded at home; and when my dad picked me up to come home for Christmas, I found at the news that my mums Leaukemia had come back, and this time not only on her skin, but in her bone marrow again. The only difference this time is that my mum had exhausted all of the treatment available, and the doctors told her that if she went through the same treatment again it would destroy her body. 

My mum was such a brave and uplifting lady throughout the whole of the battle, as she never moaned about the illness, never dragged us down, kept smiling and even sorted out other people's problems while she was lay in hospital having treatment. However, it was at this stage when she was the strongest; as she talked about everything, some serious but most of the time everyday things, like 'what we were going to have dinner that day' ... 'what's happening in coronation street this week' ... and of course 'advice on girls for me' :D She kept fighting, even though the inevitable was going to happen and by January she was struggling to walk and had many aches and pains; which meant she was spending most of the day in bed or lying on the sofa. Many times myself, family and friends would just sit with her, spend time, smile with her and hold her hand!

I come back to University early to try and get some work done, which was a difficult decision to make, but being at home wasn't helping. Before I left, I spoke to my mum about how she was feeling; and she told me 'she was scared, but ready to go, and as she believed everything happens for a reason, she thought it was her time to go and look after their 'baby David' who was born prematurely and lost when I was 2 years old! For my mum to say this to me, was hard to listen to but made it easier, as my mum was accepting what was happening, and the pain was getting worst. And, as son, all you want is your mum to not be in pain. 

So; sadly my mum passed away in her sleep, peacefully on the morning of the 17th January 2010, and although her body has gone, my mum will stay with me, my dad and all her family and friends forever, as she was such an inspirational lady, who touched many people's hearts and raised money for charity whenever she had the opportunity. Over 250 people attended my mums funeral, which although was difficult to talk about, was the easiest thing to plan because my mum had planned everything down to a tee with my Aunty, from the music to what she wanted people to wear :) It was a brilliant service in celebration of my mums life, and again I would wish to thank everyone who attended, showed support in any way and are still helping me and my family through an emotional time. I miss my mum everyday, but I have the comfort in knowing she is no longer in any pain, and I'm so very grateful I got the opportunity not only to know her as a loving mum, but as a best friend!