Hi, my name is Alex and I’m 14 years old. On the 31st December 2003, I was diagnosed with non-hodgkins T-cell lymphoma. I had trouble breathing because of a really big tumour that had grown in front of my lungs.

My family and I were told I would have treatment at Wellington Hospital for two years. When I didn’t have to stay on the ward, we stayed at Ronald McDonald House – at one time Mum and I were there for 3 1/2 months – it became our second home.