September 2015 was Blood Cancer Awareness month. I had no idea. A year ago today I didn’t know I had leukaemia. 24 hours later I had been diagnosed and my life changed forever.
Leukaemia is part of a group of 137 blood cancers which are the fifth most common cancers and the third biggest killer in the UK.
This year I’m acutely aware of Blood Cancer Awareness month. Every media mention, each poster hung, countless online discussions remind me that the campaign is a wee bit about me. It is about raising awareness in order to increase support for the research that Bloodwise does. About demystifying the process of stem cell transplants coordinated by Anthony Nolan. Encouraging new and lapsed donors to regularly give blood.
I’m glad to be a Bloodwise Ambassador, particularly this month. Helping raise awareness by sharing my story is something real and positive that I can do. Countless others who’ve walked this road before me have contributed to my recovery. Now I’m paying it forward.
And the question in the title? I’m starting to glue myself back together, slowly, piece by piece. Who knows what the final outcome will be. What I do know is I won’t be exactly the same as I was before 15 September 2015. I think I’ll always be a wee bit wonky from now on. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing – is it?
TURBAN OF THE DAY 
Hi, thank you for publishing your blog. I am going in for transplant this Sunday for AML in Birmingham, and completely related to your journey. Parts of your story made me smile, and there are so many inspiring stories out there which strengthens my ‘bring it on’ attitude to face what’s to come. Again, thank you. It makes people like me realise they are not the only ones going through this!
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Good luck Marie. X
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Like you, I have had one heck of a year with cancer and its aftermaths and I agree completely that one will never be the same. Going on a Cancer Journey changes our very psyche but in a good way I’m sure.
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Susan, glad to read in your blog that you feel that you too are coming out the other end of this bloody cancer tunnel! It’s a long and often dark one but as you say there can always be positives found and hey, this journey may just have made us better people in some shape or form.
Continued success in your recovery, x
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