He went to his GP with a sore throat and also showed him a lump in his abdomen which he had had for a while assuming it was a hernia, and which had previously caused him some dull pain. He was referred to the hospital for tests that showed he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was given six chemotherapy treatments at monthly intervals. After that he had Interferon three times a week for 2 years, which was injected by himself or his wife.

This reduced the size of the swellings in his abdomen and groin but unfortunately after about two years he was told his lymphoma was returning and he would need a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately the first attempt at harvesting his stem cells was a failure because as a result of a communication breakdown he had not had sufficient growth factor injections. The second attempt was eventually successful after several sessions on the cell separator machine. The transplant itself was preceded by high dose chemotherapy and whole body radiotherapy. He contracted pneumonia during his recovery and continues to suffer with recurrent chest infections, although his lymphoma is in remission.

He managed to work throughout his initial treatment but went off sick for the stem cell transplant. Afterwards he didn’t feel he had it in him to continue in the same job and there were difficulties with his employers. So he took up a new profession once he was in remission.

Looking back, he realised that the night sweats he had experienced some years earlier could have been symptoms of his lymphoma although he hadn’t known it at the time.