A MAN is on a mission to raise vital funds for a charity which has helped him in his battle against a rare form of cancer. 

Nigel Coupland is raising money for the charity WMUK which helps those suffering from Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer affecting between 400 and 800 people a year in the UK. 

The 62-year-old took part in the Pretty Muddy Adults event at last weekend’s Race for Life in Poole (which raised nearly £170,000 in total) and has set up a fundraiser for his chosen charity.

Bournemouth Echo: Nigel Coupland (right)Nigel Coupland (right) (Image: Nigel Coupland)

Nigel said he discovered the cancer after attending a wedding in France and has so far raised more than £3,600. 

He said: “We got married in France last September and as part of the celebrations we had a football match where I headed the ball and later suffered a bleed on the brain. 

“I spent a few days in hospital and then when I returned to the UK I was admitted to hospital because the bleeding got worse and it was later discovered that this was all because I had this rare form of blood cancer which is incurable currently.” 

Nigel wanted to do his part to raise money for WMUK because of the “support and reassurance” they showed him and his family, so he entered the Race for Life with his family, some as far as Australia. 

Bournemouth Echo: Nigel and his family at the Race for LifeNigel and his family at the Race for Life (Image: Nigel Coupland)

He added: “The major symptom is tiredness and fatigue; two years prior to this I was in hospital with COVID before the vaccines were available and so for a while, I thought it was long covid. 

“Since being diagnosed, I've had six rounds of chemotherapy take place, you have a couple of treatments of the chemo over two consecutive days and have had a drug called Rituximab. 

Read more: Thousands take part in Poole's Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research

“I'm also wired up to a machine once a month where they take all your blood out of your body, spin it in a machine so they can withdraw the old plasma which has all the horrible protein in and they put back human albumin to replace it. 

“It’s a lot of stress for the family, my wife in particular has been brilliant. It has been very difficult for her because if I did get ill and get an infection, she’d have to take me to hospital very quickly so they can put me on antibiotics. 

“When you get told your cancer is incurable, you can imagine the impact this has on yourself and your family and the charity has been excellent in stepping in and supporting us.” 

To donate, visit Nigel’s JustGiving page here. 

For more information, visit www.wmuk.org.uk