HAVING a loved one diagnosed with cancer can be a life shattering experience but for one family from Thornbury fundraising for more research into the illness has helped them through the ordeal.

Pat Bassett, 55 of Thornbury, was told she had pulled a muscle when she went to her doctor with backache three years ago.

But after tests and scans it was revealed the mother-of-two in fact had Myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer, which affects the plasma.

Symptoms of Myeloma include bone pain, fractures, fatigue and leave sufferers prone to infection.

Since her diagnosis Mrs Bassett has been unable to work because of the intense courses of treatment she has had to undergo.

During the last three years Mrs Bassett has undergone a course of chemotherapy, been given Thalidomide and had a Stem cell transplant, all at the Oncology Centre in Bristol.

However, the support of friends and family has made the last three years a little easier the brave grandmother.

She said: "Family and friends have been fantastic and I would like to thank everyone for all the support they have given me."

So desperate have Mrs Bassett's family been to help her, that they have taken to fundraising, by organising fun days and charity balls, and also raising awareness of the relatively unknown form of cancer.

Jo Byrne, her daughter, 35, said: "There's not a lot we can do to help mum, we can't donate anything but fundraising for research and raising awareness means we can do something.

"It makes me feel like I'm doing something positive.

"We started with a coffee morning two years ago and raised £1,000 then last year it grew to a fun day and this year we have repeated the fun day raising more than £1,200 and we've organised a charity ball for the autumn," said Ms Byrne.

Unfortunately at the moment there is no cure for Myeloma only treatments that halt the progress of the illness and improve quality of life for sufferers.

Mrs Bassett is currently finishing her eighth course of a new drug called Velcade. Patients on the £18,000-drug must undergo eight courses of four injections but the drug is only available for sufferers in their fist relapse.

"All the treatments do is stabilise the illness, there is no cure but I am hopeful that a good enough treatment will come along in time for me to benefit from it," said Mrs Bassett.

For more information about the Myeloma ball to be held at the Hilton Hotel, Almondsbury in October email, Jobyrne1973@yahoo.co.uk For more information about Myeloma visit, www.myeloma.org.uk