Adrian Sudbury was a reporter for both the Huddersfield Express and Chronicle Series and the Huddersfield Examiner. In November 2006 the 25-year-old was promoted to digital journalist, effectively editing the new-look Examiner website.
Just two days into his new role he became seriously ill and called in sick. A week later he drove himself to A&E and was eventually diagnosed with leukaemia.
It was then identified that he actually had two distinct types of the disease running at the same time. According to the medical literature he was the only person in the world to have this condition. As such, it was not possible to offer Adrian a prognosis.
Here he shared his experiences of the disease and his treatment up until his passing.
I'm delighted to be able to tell you that the blog has won a prestigious national award from the Guild of Health Writers.
Baldy's Blog won best online feature award at a glitzy-do at the Foreign Press Association, off the Mall, in London.
I know everyone says it but I genuinely didn't expect to win. I had, after-all, been in hospital that morning for a check-up and things are not going quite as smoothly as I had hoped regarding the latest complication - but more on that another time!
I was told a while ago that I had been short-listed so Poppy and I were determined to make the most of our trip to London. Not winning didn't really matter, it was just a great opportunity to escape from Sheffield, get dressed up and have a really good evening. And that is exactly what we did.
As I mentioned in the last post the steroid treatment has helped make me feel a million times better.
I can now eat a full meal, without feeling sick, and drink a bit more like I used to. The only downside, as you can see from the pictures, is that they are causing my face to swell-up much like that of an eastern European shot-putter or one of those blokes from the World's Strongest Man.
I look like I should be pulling trucks with my engorged neck and boggly eyes bulging out.
Earlier in the day, that was getting me down and the amount of chemicals in my body were leading to some strange emotions. To try and calm these down we caught the train and treated ourselves to some good food and a bottle of wine.
We then met our friend Olie near our hotel for a few more drinks before heading over for a champagne reception at Carlton House Terrace. There were delicious canapés, followed by a bit more champagne, before we were treated to a speech from the writer and broadcaster Phil Hammond. You might recognise him from episodes of Have I Got News For You - his articles also feature regularly in Private Eye.
And then it was straight to the awards and I was up first. I couldn't believe it when they read my name out. I was totally overwhelmed. Thankfully, I didn't have to give a speech because I hadn't prepared anything.
I received a certificate and a cheque for £1,000. All I could hear was applause and Poppy letting out strange squeals of delight and excitement!
After the event lots of people involved with the Guild came up to me and said how good they thought the blog was and how it had helped de-bunk some of the myths surrounding leukaemia and bone marrow transplants.
I was really flattered and humbled. All the way through these posts my family and friends have always said they like them - but, let's face it, they always were going to. You're not going to go up to someone with a potentially terminal illness and tell them, that on top of everything, their writing is awful. So to be recognised by such esteemed professionals was truly rewarding.
By the way the judging panel included, Dr Kamran Abbasi, Editor, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine and Editor-in-chief of OnMedica. Jenny Hope, Medical Correspondent for the Daily Mail. Sara Jamison, Sales and Marketing Director, LighterLife (sponsors of the event). Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor at The Independent, Jane Symons, Editor of Sun Health and John Von Radowitz, PA News Science Correspondent.
After that, Pops and I hit the town. We found a nice little restaurant and, you know what, had a few more drinks.
I had an excellent night and it was so much fun after an otherwise bloody terrible year.
"Clean palm, dirty neck," as shot-putters say.
Adrian - What wonderful news. Well done! You deserve it. Keep the chin up and keep smiling. Chris Burgess offers his congratulations also. Look forward to seeing you again very soon.
Lover Super H!
Clean palm dirty neck Sudders? Eh?
Hi ady!!!!!!!
what can i say dude -- it is absolutely tremendous to hear that you won that fantastic award !! you look so chuffed holding that certificate!!
Rach has text me this morning telling me that you had got the prize so i thought i would congratulate you straight away.
Hope you enjoyed the curry on wednesday , it was really good to see you out of the hospital - and well and relieved of all the sh*t that you have overcome over the last year or so. (I thought it was funny that we had sat at the same table last time!)
Hope to catch up with you soon for some more spicy grub!
Best wishes (and very well done !!) mike
Massive congratulations Adrian. You are such a worthy winner and I am not surprised one bit that your blog was picked out by the judging panel.
It sounds like you had a fantastic night. You and Poppy both look very glam!
Keep up the good work. I think the bookshelves are calling you now!
Well done once again.
Julie x
Hi Ad
Congratulations mate. I'm really pleased your hard work has had some reward and sounds like you had a very good night. You couldn't drink that much in uni so somethings definately working. Stay well and see you soon.
Andy
Well done big guy (just a term of endearment not a reference to Steroid abuse!)
So pleased and proud of you buddy, properly deserved. A big bit of light at the end of what has been a rather dark tunnel. Hope you both had a wicked time, sounds quite boozy.
i look forward to seeing you again next week belting out suich classics as "Let's get ready to rumble" and "i am the one and only".
the first of many awards i feel. What do you have to do to get on ITV's "Pride of Britain" though AD? Scandallous!
i bid thee farewell and will see you next week.
Hi Ad, Congratulations on a well deserved award!!! (yes, I'm proud to admit that I'm totally biased)... Just read the latest hot-off-the-screen chapter...breaking news at 2.15am and flowing as readily as those celebratory drinks! A good read as always and some great pics!
Congratulations Adrian. A well deserved award for an excellent blog. Your writing has helped so many people understand the in's and out's of Leukaemia and have a little smile along the way. Well done mate.
Well done! Adrian you thoroughly deserved to win. No speech though, you should have hogged the stage until they dragged you off! Hope you had a fantastic night.
WELL DONE AD!!
Mrs James would be proud of you!! Your face is lovely the way it is.
Cazza xxxx
Nice one Ad. I'm so proud and may I say Pops is looking lovely on the photo. I hope you had a fantastic day mingling with the big wigs of the medical journalist world. A well deserved award. Jen x
BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT!
An inspiration to us all
lots of love
Uncle Brian and Aunty Lucy
What do you mean - course we'd tell you if you were writing a pile of p**! Nice one mate!
Oh Adrian!
What a simply wonderful thing to happen :-) You really do deserve this award, ya know, you really do! You guys look so handsome and happy and lovely.....
I hope all the glitches clear up really soon.
love and light
Annie
Steven's mom
http://livingwithcml.blogspot.com
Nice one Adrian!
Brilliant news - that doesn't look bad on the CV, the nationals will be calling now.
We might do a small mention in PG if that's alright.
Take care
Hi Adrian,
I've been following your blog for over a month now, as I found it just before I went in to get my bone marrow transplant.
I just wanted to say I really think that you deserve that award, as you have helped me, and so many others no doubt, go through such a tough time. I was a little hesitant as to what to expect before going in there, but you had everything written in straightforward terms that I could understand and you didn't gloss over the bad bits. It made me a lot calmer going in and I was discharged today, just 4 weeks after starting the prep chemo.
So once again thanks, and all the best to you!
Cheers, Kim
Hi Kim,
Thanks ever so much for that. I really hope everything works well for you too. Where did u have your transplant?
Best wishes,
Adrian
Adrian,
What FANTASTIC news about your award, Well deserved too!
Glad you and Poppy enjoyed your night in London. All the best. Love Dawn xxx
hahaha
'clean palm, dirty neck' you can only say it if it's in a scottish accent!! what a flashback! what was that PE teachers name again?
anyway AD i only found out about this site cos of this weeks chad newspaper. you made me have a rite old think and i'm gonna put me name down on the bone marrow transplant list, if they'll have me!
Thank you for opening my eyes
Angie bak x
Hi Adrian
I just wanted to say that what you are doing is great and it takes a lot of currage and strenth. I know you are finding it harder as i watched my friend go though the same. All i can say is keep going the more you do the more people you help and that is amazing.
best wishes
rebecca
I watched you on Five News and I think it is brilliant what you are doing.
Keep up the good work.
Steve
www.awsomelottosyndicate.co.uk