I've been a self-employed musician since 1990, playing early and folk music all over the place on a multitude of instruments. Alongside this, I went back to college in 1994 to study composition and have never looked back. It's what I always wanted to do.
In 2001 I got leukaemia, and after loads of treatment and a bone marrow transplant am thankfully still in remission. Thank you to my anonymous donor - I now have a PhD, various awards and a fantastic 15 month old baby boy - all since the cancer.
Become a bone-marrow donor. It really does make a difference.