I received some sad/happy news at the weekend - one of my oldest friends is spending January in Sydney (where we are) away from his Adelaide home (some 1400 kms away or 870 odd miles). That's the happy part - the sad part is he's coming with his wife and youngest son so the kid can get a bone marrow transplant. Brendan's been sick for a while and has Myelodyplasia Syndrome (they think). But at least there's a donor - and he's doing well so far on the drugs they're giving him.
We all have lots of hope - in a large part because we have another friend who's been on the other end of the process. Almost two years ago he donated his bone marrow - and a few months ago received a letter and photograph from the parents of the young girl whose life he's turned around. They've thanked him but of course neither knows the other (donations are kept anonymous in Australia).
So my large group of friends are all thinking happy thoughts for Brendan - and hoping it'll work out as well this time around.