Macmillan’s information – whether it’s online or their booklets – is invaluable. It isn't just information from any old place or that you've heard in the consultation room. It's first-hand experiences from people who have been through it. It allows you to take control of your life a bit more because you know what to expect. You can be prepared for any outcome.

It was Macmillan coffee mornings that really helped me understand what Macmillan do, that it’s not just raising money for a load of things that aren't well publicised. It's about making sure people who care for the patients, as well as the patients themselves, get the support they need.

In the year out I took to finish my treatment, I was working back at the school a lot so we organised a coffee morning there. It was great to see not only teachers and students from the school, but parents too. It was amazing to see such a high turnout – and to see people talking about cancer openly.

Fundraising helped me cope because it gave me something else to focus on. You don't have to sit in your hospital room thinking about how bad things are, or how I wish I was out with my mates this weekend. Fundraising gives you something that is your own, something concrete to do. So you feel better about yourself too.

In a time where it’s easy to get caught up in your own self-pity and grief, fundraising gives you such a good energy.