Both have also taken part in LRF studies. After undergoing treatment in 1997 and 1998, Debbie gave birth to a baby boy on Valentine's Day last year. This grant will provide a significant boost to a research centre of excellence and its commitment to discovering the causes of leukaemia. The Centre employs a team of researchers to collect information from patients and their families. By analysing their lifestyle patterns, environmental exposure and genetic make-up, the team is seeking to understand the processes that can lead to leukaemia and related cancers.
Every patient wants to know what has caused the disease.
At the moment, we only have faint clues but if we can positively identify these factors then we can advise on preventive measures to reduce the disease to a minimum. That is why this work is so important. Researchers at the Centre have already found that certain exposures can increase the likelihood of a person developing leukaemia. Their work has shown, for example, that there is an association between smoking and acute leukaemia in adults. It also seems that people with certain genes are at greater risk of developing leukaemia if they are exposed to chemicals such as benzene.