Diving in to help cancer sufferers

Published 22 Aug 2010 08:00 0 Comments

A WOMAN is falling 10,000ft out a plane for the charity that has helped her since she was diagnosed with a rare form of fatal cancer.

Maraget Howe is doing the skydive on Saturday, September 4 to raise money for Myeloma UK, which supports people with the bone plasma disease and campaigns for more research into the condition.

Mrs Howe, 62, said: "I am really excited about it. When I was told that I had terminal cancer, I made a list of things that I would like to do and this was one of them. I never thought it would happen but Myeloma UK, for the first time, has organised a skydive and my consultant said a fortnight ago that I could do it.

"Every time I think about it my tummy does a little flip but I'm really excited. It's like Christmas and birthdays all wrapped up into one big present."

Mrs Howe, from Crowthorne, has £200 in sponsorship so far but hopes to raise at least £500 by doing the tandem jump with an instructor in Bicester.

She was diagnosed with myeloma in 2005. Then, in 2006, the News reported on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)'s decision not to license the use of new drug Velcade, which she had hoped to take.

She collected signatures for a petition and arranged fundraising events to help Myeloma UK successfully fight for the ruling to be overturned. Last year, she had a four-month trial of Velcade, together with conventional chemotherapy, which has helped limit the illness.

Mrs Howe said: "It will come back because it's incurable and terminal but it could be six months, it could be two and a half years, or longer."

The treatment, together with stem cell transplants, enabled her to return to her job at South Hill Park arts centre in Birch Hill in June, where she looks after the volunteers and works for the Box Office.

She praised Myeloma UK and said: "They have really, really been an amazing support so I have been very lucky. They are always at the end of the phone."

To sponsor Mrs Howe, see the form at the reception at the arts centre in Ringmead or visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/margarethowe

www.myeloma.org.uk

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This article appeared in Villager 18 Aug 10

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