'My sister gave me the gift of life'

A rare cancer was killing Becki Lucas - and she knew that only one person could save her

- MATTHEW BARBOUR

' I wouldn't be alive today without my sister Sarah, it's as simple as that. And though I'd have done the same for her, words can't describe how much I want to thank her for giving me the gift of life and allowing me to see my children Clare, eight, and Ben, six, grow up.

In early 2022, I noticed strange bruises on my back. My GP did three separate rounds of blood tests, which came back clear. But the bruises kept getting worse.

After paying for more extensive private tests, my world was turned upside down when I was eventually referred back to the NHS and told I had blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm. Known as BPDCN, it's a very rare type of blood cancer normally only found in men over 60 and there are only around 10 cases every year in the UK.

I know it may sound strange, but as I sat in the consulting room holding my mum Pauline's hand, hearing the "C word" was somehow a relief as well as a nightmare.

I'd finally get treated. I had no idea what my prognosis was and I'd certainly never heard of BPDCN before. Neither had my consultant, who handed me a leaflet. I read with horror that the average survival time was just 12 months

I had to stay strong. I told myself I didn't fit into the usual demographic for the disease and I refused to be that statistic.

I started a form of called immunotherapy tagraxofusp, followed by a high-strength chemotherapy. It meant staying alone in a hospital room for four weeks, away from Clare and Ben.

I could only see them through a glass window into the corridor. We’d play noughts and crosses through the glass and I’d feel the warmth of their hands as we pressed on each side.