15-year-old Alan Bainbridge to receive bravery award

Nov 26 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal

Rare form of cancer

ACUTE lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a rare type of cancer, affecting approximately 200 adults per year in the UK.

Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Normally, white blood cells grow and divide in an orderly and controlled way but in leukaemia the process gets out of control and the cells divide too quickly, but do not mature.

ALL occurs more frequently in children – under 15 years of age – than adults.

When it occurs in teenagers or adults, ALL is more common between the ages of 15–25 and in older people. It is slightly more common in males than in females.

The cause of ALL is not known, but research is going on all the time to find out.

Chemotherapy is the first and main type of treatment given.

Brave heart history

THE Brave Heart awards were started in 1991 by members of Hexham Round Table.

They were inspired by 11-year-old Joanne Gillespie, who died in 1993 from a recurring brain tumour. In 1989 she published a moving diary recounting her experiences under the title Brave Heart.

In 2006, Brave Hearts honoured 16-year-old Josie Grove, from Corbridge, Northumberland.

Josie was diagnosed with leukaemia while her family were living in Thailand. But after two bone marrow transplants proved unsuccessful she decided against any further treatment so she could enjoy the rest of her life without having to go to hospital. She died in February 2007 but her parents, Cliff and Jacqui, set up the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund to raise funds in her memory.

The Brave Heart awards are held twice a year, recognising the region’s courageous children.