Floyd London - Update

Mail received from Sophie last week.

Dear friends,
It's been a really long time since I last sent an update email about Floyd....and that's a good thing! :-) There is a little update today though!

Not only did Floyd turn 41 on Tuesday but today is Floyd's '3 years in remission anniversary'!!! 3 years ago today we received the news that we had been desperate for - that Floyd had gone in to remission right at the start of his treatment. They still gave him all of the chemo that his body could handle for the 6 months that followed! We celebrate it every year and it feels GREAT to mark THREE years! (when we get to the 5 year landmark, you won't hear the last of it!).

We know that with leukaemia, Floyd can never be declared cured, but once he reaches the 5 year marker, the chances of a relapse are very remote. So I do hope you'll join us in November 2009 for what will surely be the party of the decade!!! Better start planning it! ;-) For those of you who came to his 40th last year with the
live band, casino tables, bangers & mash, mulled wine, Rolling Stones vodka
luge and one of the country's largest firework displays on record....you 'ain't
seen nothing yet!!! ;-)

Floyd is in full 100% health. He hasn't taken any medication or had any treatment since April 2005. Oncology check ups are being set at 6 months apart now. At the last one, Floyd had higher blood counts than the consultant! Life is very good and we thank our lucky stars, count our blessings and appreciate each other, our family and friends every single day that goes past.

It hasn't been an easy year so far. Leukaemia has lurked very close by. One of our dearest friends Davo tragically lost his battle with CML in May, aged just 21 yrs. Floyd, Davo and I became the best of friends last year and developed a very special, close bond. Davo fought so incredibly hard and desperately wanted to be cured. It was utterly tragic to lose him.

Floyd had a great ward buddy during his treatment. Parvni was diagnosed with exactly the same leukaemia (AML) and same sub-type (M5) just a couple of weeks after Floyd. They spurred each other on during treatment and shared so much. Sadly Parvni relapsed just a few months ago and passed away.

It's very frightening for us that every AML patient we ever knew or heard of has now passed. But as always, we come out stronger the other side. We quite simply will never give in. We refuse to give leukaemia that kind of power or control over us. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! We are so looking forward to the 5 year marker and being able to tell the world that Floyd kicked leukaemia up the bum and lived to tell the tale.

Once again, we attended the annual Leukaemia Research Fund conference in April. We have so much gratitude and respect for the charity. I do feel that without their
incredible efforts to raise millions ever year for vital research over the decades, Floyd would not have been given the treatment that saved his life. At the conference, we were very inspired to hear from scientists and researchers who have made some ground breaking discoveries. It gives us so much hope and confidence that a cure will be found in our lifetime. I promised Davo I would keep on supporting the cause and helping others.

But really, what we remember most on these anniversaries is the tremendous support we had from all of you - still not forgotten all these years on. We are so
very, very lucky! We still go through old emails and cards for words of inspiration when we feel we need a little push every now and then! We kept all of the cards and gifts sent to Floyd (we may not have kept the copies of Angler's Weekly which somehow found their way in to Floyd's hospital room!).

Thanks to you all and we hope you are all happy and healthy!
Love
Sophie and Floyd