José Carlos in hospital

"Hello, my name is José Carlos. In August 2004, after feeling tired, I was given the news in a routine blood test: PROMYELOCYTIC ACUTE MYELOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA.

Bloody hell, it was a real blow!!!!! But thanks to the haematologist team at the General Hospital in Segovia (by the way, they are really good, I can vouch for them), and after many chemo sessions and isolations I went into full remission. One year later, when everything was going fine, I suffered a relapse after another check. I had to start again. This time it was a new chemo: Arsenic Trioxide. It sounded really bad but it was what it was and I had to go ahead with it. It was a really hard, two months (December and January) of isolation again. It was Christmas time and I was alone on that whole floor. Something good was that, I had all the care and attention, ha ha ha!! I overcame it again, full remission!! However, after several meetings the haematologists decided I should have an autologous transplant. This was the easier part for me after all I had been going through. I was in the University Hospital of Salamanca for 14 days. When I was admitted to hospital I was scared, but I was told on the tenth day that I would go home and it so it was! Those haematologists are geniuses. That afternoon they wanted to take me home in an ambulance, but I turned them down as I didn't want to look like an ill person. So, I took my car, despite my wife not wanting me to, and I was home in two hours, without any hair, but healthy.

What was my plan??? Well raising dogs so that they can take part in beauty shows is my hobby. My dream was for one of my dogs to become the number one in Spain, but he couldn't participate during the time as I was in the hospital. I am proud to tell you that I achieved it, and in two consecutive years!! One week after I was discharged I was participating in and winning one of the most important shows in Portugal. My current plan is to continue winning awards and to have a lot of health to go on living happily with the people that have always been with me.

Have a look at this link, where you can see my dogs and their trophies: http://www.karraces.com/

Cheers and I insist that all of you will overcome it, it's true!"

José Carlos in a show with his dog

Help people like José Carlos by becoming a member of the cure for leukaemia and haematological malignacies, HERE.  You will help us to continue our research so that one day these diseases will be 100% curable.  With only a little you can do so much. Thank you!

Find out more about bone marrow donation, HERE