It is with great sadness that I come to post this message that my dear friend Marian has lost her fight with this horrible disease. Marian passed away peacefully last week at home with her husband Greg. I met Marian and Greg in 2001 when Marian was trying to get access to Glivec and we became very good friends.She had failed interferon with many awful side effects and thankfully Glivec was there. Marian had some good initial results with Glivec but lost her remission, she then went to Germany to get on the new BMS trial and initially it seemed to control her disease but she went into blast crisis at Christmas 2005 and then fought so hard to control the progression of her CML. She failed treatment after treatment and her consultant told her and Greg that he had never seen such aggressive and resistant leukaemia in all his years as a haematologist. Marian fought a brave and courageous battle, she never complained, always had a smile and kept a positive outlook. She was such a lovely, gentle and thoughtful person - I will miss her so much. I have many fond memories of Marian and I will always remember 'the golden girl'. On behalf of CML Support I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to her mother Joan, husband Greg and sons Chris and Graham and their partners Anna and Teresa. Rest in peace my lovely friend and keep an eye on us down here.
Elizabeth