I didnt really notice when it all began. I just assumed, round about December, that I had flu. It was very odd, though, as it just wouldnt go away. I had it for five weeks. I tested myself for Covid. I just couldnt work out why it wouldnt go away.

I got antibiotics and steroids from my GP. I struggled to get an appointment because the nurses were on strike, so I didnt really know I had anything other than flu and a really bad sore throat I even went hoarse as well.

I was about to start a new job on 16 January this year, so on the day before I said to my husband Im going to A&E, because I wanted to start the new job and feel healthy, and I felt so unwell.

Whenever my husband and I go to A&E we always drop each other off, we never stay with each other because we know its going to take at least four hours to be seen. So I went in and they did all the various tests. They did a blood test and this particular doctor came up to me and told me that they were going to have to keep me in longer. I said no. no, no. I start a new job on Monday. But she said: Janice, you cannot go anywhere. You have leukaemia. You have blood cancer.

I asked if they had made a mistake and then phoned my husband telling him he better come to the hospital. Thats all how it started. Me just wanting to find out what was going on. Then another doctor came in and confirmed it with my husband there, as I was in disbelief at this stage.

My white blood cells count was 136. If it was a mistake my white blood cells would have been between 5 and 26. You cannot make a mistake with 136. Then they left the room, closed the curtain and thats when it really hit me. I wouldnt even say crying, I was bawling my eyes out. It was horrible. My husband was just hugging me.

I just thought this cant be real. I donate blood. I run. I do the odd Tesco cancer research run, I do the Macmillan one. I do all these runs raising money for charity and Im one of those people now. I couldnt believe it. I was shocked.

I was in Hillingdon Hospital, near Hayes, west London, for two days then they transferred me to Hammersmith Hospital and I was there for 42 days receiving chemotherapy treatment via IV and tablets, and other medications as well. I had blood transfusions 10 units of blood, 14 units of platelets. It was so much.

I knew within my community Im 56 and of Black British Caribbean descent, with Grenadian heritage that what I do need is a stem cell donor. And we dont donate enough blood, certainly not stem cells. So, from the get go, I wasnt going to lie down and cry. Im going to start raising awareness and thats exactly what Ive done.

I contacted Antony Nolan [the blood cancer charity] who saw my own posters, which said If I cannot save myself, maybe I can save someone else, and how much I was doing to raise awareness, we teamed up. Being positive has been my drive.

The place where I was going to work were willing to hold it for a couple of weeks, but it turned out I was in hospital for six weeks and sick with it as well so it would have been unfair, really. I wouldnt have had the strength to work. This is the first time in my life, since I was 17, that I havent been working. Ive always worked.

Im still in Hammersmith Hospital and going to be coming here for another four months so it wasnt worth thinking about work. The hospital lets you go home for your sanity for a week or 10 days or so. Now Im back for another month for all the treatment again. If youre okay the cycle repeats itself. Theyll keep doing that for five months. Hopefully, in the interim, theyll be looking for a donor.

They tried my two brothers and my sister but they were not a match because our antibodies conflicted. It takes about four weeks for them to do the initial blood test to wait to see if youre a match with your siblings. I had no doubt they would be a match 100 per cent Im going to be saved. Everything will be fine. On 8 March I got a call at home to say they were not a match. The older you get your antibodies change through having children, an infection, any sort of illness they are your defence mechanism. Theyre special for you and build up an immune system specifically for you. So I guess my siblings, whatever theyve had in their life, their antibodies have built up an immune system which conflicts with mine now.

I was just as devastated as when they told me I had leukaemia and I cried just the same, let me tell you. They also said there were no matches on any stem cell register around the world, so I kind of lost hope. What am I going to do? My brothers and sisters were supposed to be a 100 per cent match.

My two daughters are a 50 per cent match, meaning their antibodies might not be a problem so the doctors are going to look at them as a potential new option if something can be worked out. Im now waiting another month while they are tested. Its a waiting game. We dont know whats going to happen. I remain positive and hopeful that it has to be. Its very daunting.

The big issue for me is how difficult it is for non-White people to find a match [Currently people from a minority ethnic background have just a 37 per cent chance of finding an unrelated stem cell donor on the register, compared to 72 per cent for white Northern European patients]. I knew within the ethnic minority community we just dont donate enough, so I reached out to family and friends, my work colleagues. We know a lot of people between us all. I was targeting everyone of any colour my White friends, my Asian friends, they must know Black people just reach out and get the word out there.

In hospital, I have nine days of IV chemo and you get that twice a day. I feel fine with that one but now Im on a twice-a-day, 14-day chemo which makes me feel very nauseous, but they give you anti-sickness medication to help. If youre really bad they give you a shot in the arm, so theyre on board with any kind of side effects. The tablets really take it out of me though, so most of the time Im in bed. But I get up and try and do something.

Before I was sick I used to do my 10,000 steps a day. In here I cant really go that far walking in the room or in the corridor but Id do about 2,000 steps when I can, if Im well enough. Then its whether I need a blood or platelet transfusion. I think I respond well to treatment, because Ive always been a positive, strong person. If youre positive and strong that helps with our illnesses, Ive always thought. If youre wallowing in sorrow and feeling sorry for yourself, I dont think that helps at all.

So through this journey, every time the doctors come in theyve been very impressed with me. I say to people this is a temporary inconvenience and that is how Im going to see it. Although I dont want to be in hospital, if I was at home Id be cooking, cleaning, doing the washing Im seeing this as a holiday as well. I dont have to think about what to cook. I get three meals a day, I get my bed changed, I mean come on! I have to look at it positively.

I was told it normally takes between three and five months to find a donor. Usually, there is something they can do even if it is not a full match. Theres no real date. Its a waiting game. I cannot be on this treatment forever as youre prone to infection and its not good for your body anyway.

Ive set up a family WhatsApp group for daily updates as when everyone heard they were all devastated of course. My father died of prostate cancer 11 years ago. We saw how he went from being medium-sized to skin and bones. It was awful, so my family were so worried and thought the same thing would happen to me. Even I thought the same thing when I first heard my diagnosis. Am I going to lose my hair and am I going to die? Well, I did lose my hair, but Im still here, thank God.

Me being so positive is keeping my family upbeat and strong as well. They are all rooting for me. If Im feeling down I put it on the group chat, but most of the time its all positive. Believe you me, I really want to go home.

For more information about stem cell donation visit the following websites:

https://www.dkms.org.uk/

https://www.anthonynolan.org

htttps://wmda.info/

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