My wife had lived with CLL ('indolent' leukaemia) for the last 12 years. She was always such a strong and positive woman who lived life to the full and so often simply for others around her. Out of the blue and right at the start of retirement she became poorly over just a few days and was quickly in hospital with a low blood count. At first she seemed to respond well but 24 hours later she was again very poorly and in another few hours we received the diagnosis of 'Richter's Shift'. Just over five horrific days later she was gone. Apparently this condition is quite rare and I can only wonder why. Why did she have to be one of the small group that goes this way? Why was there nothing that could help her? If there is any research being done to further our undertsanding of how this horrible transformation is triggered it definitely is worthy of support.
