Cancer sufferer told he had 18 months to live holds Cambridge charity concert - four years on

Barry Love, of Fowlmere, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a disease which is a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

He was given 18 months to live, but four years later he is enjoying a busy life, thanks to experimental treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

He organised a fundraising concert, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Royston, which took place at the Cambridge Motel last Friday, and a packed audience sang along with operatic tenors Tim Lole and Neil Allen, otherwise known as the Opera Dudes.

The night raised £3,500 for Myeloma UK, a charity which carries out research into the cancer.

“What an evening it was,” said Mr Love. “It was a natural choice for me to support Myeloma UK, and it was a real joy to raise a large sum while informing more people about the wonderful work this charity is doing.”

Mr Love has devoted much of the last four years to supporting the research which has helped him. Though the new drug is not a cure, he said he was sure that it has increased his life expectancy by several years, and this enabled him to take on his current role as community service chairman for Royston Rotary Club, fund-raising and providing assistance for many local and national causes.

He told the audience, including many Rotarians from Royston and their friends, that Myeloma UK’s Clinical Trial Network would benefit from the event.

The network prioritises and invests in the most promising treatments, and one of its centres of excellence is based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where Mr Love was treated.

Consultant oncologist Dr Jenny Craig from Addenbrooke’s, as well as several myeloma patients, were able to attend the concert, while the charity’s work was boosted when Margaret Wright of Thriplow, winner of the £500 first prize in the raffle, donated her winnings to them.

For more information on the work of Myeloma UK, visit www.myeloma.org.uk