In this new episode of the Pearls of Wisdom Podcast we speak to three wonderful people.

Debbie Hickman, Pete Thomas and Joe Thomas

Please listen and share this episode far and wide. Joe is running 100 miles to raise money for the MDS charity UK. His father Pete has recently been diagnosed with MDS. Donate to Joe's Just giving page here https://www.justgiving.com/page/joe-thomas-ndw100

You can find details of all the guests below:

Pete Thomas

Pete is a former  Civil Servant who led operational teams and more recently headed up a number of HR Teams in the Treasury, Home Office and the former Department of International Trade. He retired after 43 years service following his MDS diagnosis.   He now is a volunteer at MDS UK. He spends his free time, staying fit in the gym, travelling, learning spanish, climbing boulders and attempting to play golf.

Joe Thomas

I am a leveraged finance banker who works for Mizuho Financial Group in London. Outside of work, I spend time with my Dad when he's not staying fit in the gym, travelling, learning spanish, climbing boulders and attempting to play golf. You can give to he's Just Giving page that is raising funds for the MDS charity UK here https://www.justgiving.com/page/joe-thomas-ndw100

Debbie Hickman

Debbie Hickman is currently Acting CEO of MDS UK.  

After nearly four decades as a business manager and entrepreneur, mostly in the bookselling and artisan food sectors, I sold the family businesses and embarked on a creative writing degree in 2018.  Halfway through, and just a few weeks before lockdown, my husband Neil was diagnosed with intermediate-level MDS.  Thankfully I discovered the charity, which proved to be a lifeline for us during the pandemic, especially as I was unable to accompany Neil to clinic appointments or visit him in hospital whilst he recovered from three separate bouts of neutropenic sepsis.

Strangely for such a rare disease, my mum had also been diagnosed with low-risk MDS a few years before, but Neil’s was considerably more complex.  Tragically, we lost them both on the same day in August 2021.  Raising awareness of MDS, promoting stem cell donation and optimising the care and support of those affected by blood cancers, are causes very close to the hearts of my family and friends.  You can read more of our story at https://mdspatientsupport.org.uk/mds-stories/mds-awareness-day-2021-our-story-by-debbie-hickman/