Amanda Bullard (nee Eliot-Cohen) lost her 12 year battle with cancer in June 2009 at the age of 45.  She left behind her husband Sam and three teenaged children.  Over a thousand people, all of whom had been touched in some way by Amanda during her short life time, attended her memorial service. Through the address at this service Amanda requested two things. Firstly that any donations should be sent to the Cancer Vaccine Institute. This appeal so far has resulted in Prof Dalgleish receiving over £25,000 for research. Her second memorial request was that anyone lucky enough to have good health should become a blood donor. A blood donation is the most amazing gift, it costs nothing and will save or prolong another’s life.  Amanda had many, many transfusions of both blood and platelets towards the end of her life.  As a result of these donations she was able to ski with her family in February 2009 having been told three months earlier that she only had weeks to live. There was no way she could  say thank you for that very special gift.