Lynden's Wish

For the last two years the much-respected British R&B singer-songwriter Lynden David Hall has been battling a rare form of cancer known as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma disease. It is a form of cancer that mainly affects young people in their 20’s and around 1400 people are diagnosed in then UK every year. 

On November 15 2005, many of LDH's contemporaries performed a cancer awareness and fund-raising event called Lynden's Wish. Mark Thompson reports

Omar, Roachford, Shola Ama, Don E, Beverly Knight, Courtney Pine and Ms Dynamite were Omar, Roachford, Shola Ama, Don-e, Beverly Knight, Courtney Pine and Ms Dynamite were the headline acts, joined by some talented newcomers and one steel pan, on the tiny stage of an intimate Camden venue. Those of us who were fortunate enough to buy a ticket for this sell-out were certainly not to be disappointed.

The Lynden's Wish event at London's Jazz Café on November 15 came about as the remarkably talented Lynden David Hall tried to make something positive out of the nightmare illness that he has been fighting for two years. This night, with all proceeds going to cancer related charities, was hopefully just a start in that process.

Lynden has Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a rare form of cancer that affects mainly young people in their 20s. Around 1,400 people are diagnosed each year.

The only chance of a cure for some sufferers of this disease, like many similar forms of cancer, is a bone marrow transplant either from specially developed stem cells or ideally from a 100% matching donor.

Lynden's been in a major battle since he received a stem cell transplant almost twelve months ago.

His 'wish' is that his experience and high profile will save at least one life, by raising money, and more importantly, awareness of these illnesses, particularly in the "communities of colour".

Because of the shortage of donors, if your ethnic background is anything other than European, whether that's Asian, South American, African, or Caribbean, your chances of finding a bone marrow donor match falls massively from around one in five if you're white, to one 100,000 if your not.

The African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) has been trying to raise awareness in the Britain's black community, and was represented at the event by its founders Orin Lewis and Beverly De-gale. Beverly is the mother of Daniel De-Gale, whose life was saved after he received a transplant in 1999, following the high-profile campaign, out of which the ACLT was formed. The other charity to benefit last night was Rays Of Sunshine, a children's charity that raises money to grant the sometimes near impossible wishes of terminally ill children and the organisations that support them.

For me, the event has a personal significance as my fiancée completed her treatment for a life threatening form of Leukaemia exactly twelve months ago this week. My wife (we married in March) hasn’t had need for a bone marrow transplant yet, but should the illness return, she could find herself in the same boat as Lynden and another high profile member of the R&B community - DJ Swing, who was fortunate enough to receive a transplant in the week before this event. After a long wait, this is a risky time for him right now, although last I heard all was going really well. One donation from an un-related young man has given Swing, his family and his friends from the DJ For Life campaign, both a reason and an opportunity to celebrate this Christmas.

The concert itself was both refreshing (non-smoking, so voices and clothes stayed fresh!) and amazing. The crowd was warm when our host for the night, June Sarpong, introduced Beverly Knight to open the night. Fans of live music will remember Beverly and Lynden's amazing performances when touring together in the late 1990’s as a landmark in UK R&B. Her voice had as much soul and power as ever, and perhaps because this was for a mate, possibly a little more passion than normal.

Great performances from the others followed, all supported by the impressively tight house band. Highlights included an acoustic number from Roachford; Omar and Courtney Pine combining on a near karaoke (as the crowd knew every word!) performance of ‘There’s Nothing Like This’ and unsigned singer Tawiah, definitely one to watch for the future, tore up the place with Badu-style jazzy vocals on her track 'Flowing Away'.

Ms Dynamite's second effort of the night, 'Dy-Na-Mi-Tee' was also an electrifying moment, partly because of a great tune and performance, but mainly because of how she introduced the track. Niomi (a.k.a Ms Dynamite) called Lynden's wife Nikki to the stage. She persuaded her to ring the man himself in his hospital room so that the crowd from, in Nikki's words, "Lynden's London home", could show him some love. The packed venue fell silent as she said into her mobile "Mr Hall, it's Mrs Hall. I have some people who want to say hello". As all went wild and chanted his name, I had to fight back a tear as I remembered all the time my wife and I had spent shut up in an isolation room in Lewisham Hospital. Lynden, a performer even from a hospital bed, just demanded the crowd come again, with just a little more noise.

The finale saw all the vocalists back on stage for a movingly joyous performance of Lynden's anthem, 'Sexy Cinderella', which sent everyone in the crowd home buzzing.

To the Halls and the people that supported them, I’d like to say a huge thank you, for making this happen.

To everyone else, if you'd like to join me on the bone marrow register and have the chance to give the gift of life, all you have to do is give a tiny blood sample. The last London ACLT registration drive of 2005 was on Saturday the 19th of November at the Hammersmith Hospital, but they still have events in Middlesex and Manchester, where you could give this most precious gift just in time for Xmas. Or contact the national blood service for opportunities closer to you.

Our thoughts are with Lynden, Swing, their families and every other patient currently battling with similar illnesses right now. Unfortunately there are more of them than there needs to be.

Unlike with the lottery, there’s a real chance that it could be you, who saves a life and makes Lynden's wish come true.

© 2005 Mark Thompson, first published on BBM December 2005

For more info contact:
ACLT: www.aclt.org, 020 8667 1122

The National Blood Service: https://secure.blood.co.uk/bonemarrow.asp, 08457 711 711

Back

Unknown Friend

This poem was written by Mark Thompson, who is a carer of his wife, a relapsed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma disease sufferer. 

With the love of friends and family she overcame this once before. New hurdles here to leap with me, she’ll overcome these as well I’m sure.

She needs however something today that we unfortunately could not lend. So with these words we look for help, to an unrelated and, as yet, unknown friend.

Help beyond the many products of blood already gratefully received. Now this new friend’s very bone marrow is required for her to be relieved.

A brief blood test could be the start of a whole new lease of life. Could end times of tribulation for the inspiration that is my wife.

This donor could be short or tall, rich or poor it’s all the same to us. Only speak in the Queen’s English, or in de patois of Jamaica cuss.

Use the rhyming slang of Cockney’s, or speak in Geordie vernacular. We don’t care where they have travelled from, no distance is too far. 

They could have themselves a PhD or not even know how to spell. Use of deodorant is unimportant, their bone marrow will not smell.

Their form need not be perfect, like the David of Michelangelo. As no minor bodily defect in donated marrow would show.

To them the risks are minimal the possible benefits immense. The opportunity to positively change the world in a truly tangible sense.

This friend’s act is so amazing, they are a life saver it’s true. But the thing that’s most amazing, is this friend just might be you.

© 2006 Mark Thompson, first published on BBM February 2006

February 2006 Addendum:

Dr. Nicholas Roberts, a Mellon Career Development Fellow at St. Catherine's College, Oxford, wrote in soon after the news of LHD’s death became widespread, after reading our ‘Lynden’s Wish’ piece. He is a cured Hodgkin's Lymphoma sufferer who drew our attention to a slight but potential misleading sentence, which has now been amended. However, for the benefit of those who read the earlier version and also because of the earlier version exists in various outposts on cyberspace, we’ve reproduced Dr Roberts’ comments to clarify the issue.

Mark Thompson adds this: The real point is that we need more donors. I know about distress, as my wife relapsed in December and now needs a transplant, and that is the angle from which the piece is written and that was in keeping with Lynden's wish that his profile should save at least one life.

For more information see the ACLT’s website www.aclt.org or click Sarah on the ACLT's Website. Or call them on 0208 667 1122.