MAY I, through your letters page, give your readers the good news of the Sleaford and District Branch of the Leukaemia Research Fund.

The branch was formed by a small group of parents 25 years ago to raise funds to assist and promote research into leukaemia, which at that time was still an often fatal disease (although prognosis was still better than at the launch of the fund in 1960).

Costs of research were low by today's standards, but results were spectacular, enabling children and young adults to lead a fulfilling life.

The money needed for this project, for which Leukaemia Research is the leading UK organisation, now runs at approximately £20 million per year.

The support of ordinary people in the Sleaford area has enabled this branch to raise £282,000 during the past 25 years.

This is a tribute to the work of a small committee but more importantly, the people of Sleaford and district, who have given their time and money to raise funds for this life-saving research into the causes, treatments and prevention of all forms of leukaemia in children and adults.

The future outlook for research is exciting with a move from the laboratory to the patient taking place, giving even better results in treatment and survival on the horizon over the next 25 years nationally.

To celebrate our own branch success, we are taking a stand at the Heckington Show, where information and other bits and pieces, will be available for anybody who may wish to assist in fund raising or needs patient information which is available.

Geoff Brocklebank,

Chairman

Sleaford and District Leukaemia and District Research Fund