HELLO everyone, hope there is a reasonable turnout, but let's face it, it doesn't really matter to me.

I want today to be a celebration of my life and all the good times we have shared together. Feel free to have tears in your eyes, but I hope, more importantly, it will leave you with a smile on your face.

I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my treatment. From all the nurses, doctors and specialists on ward P3 at the Hallamshire to the graft versus host disease team at Rotherham through to my GP, Macmillan and district nurses who treated me in the final stages of my life.

Everyone has been wonderful and the quality of care has been nothing short of exceptional.

To all my friends; it has been an absolute privilege to know you and thank you for all the love and support you have shown me – not only through the past 20 disease-riddled months – but for every second I have been lucky enough to be in your company.

Lastly to my big grandma Barbara, auntie Helen and uncle Iain, auntie Philippa, uncle Jon, cousin Hal, my beautiful sister Carrie and my phenomenal parents Kay and Keith.

The quality of care I received from them all has been superb and the amount of unconditional love has been outstanding.

Thank you to every single one of you.

The last thing I would like to say is that some people will think this was somehow my life's purpose, to kick off this campaign, and of course, had I never been ill, this would probably never have happened.

You do realise it falls upon all of you to make sure this comes off now!

I can't help but wonder what I could have gone on to achieve with better opportunities and a disease-free life. The biggest concern of my life is social breakdown, youngsters growing up without role models and hope, falling into gangs for substitutes and killing each other.

Restoring a level of general decency and respect in our country would have been what I would have thrown all my energy into next.

I'm not stupid. This would have been much harder to solve, or begin to improve, but look at how much one person can achieve when they set their mind to it.

Maybe these problems exist because the middle classes enjoy talking about it over a glass of wine, but are far too scared of sticking their heads above the parapet to do anything about it.

We all have the ability to make these changes if we so choose.

Sending all my love to you all,

Adrian