The Marsden is an international centre of excellence

I have my treatment at the hospital from about 9.30am to 4.30pm once a week in the day care unit.

That day, I had all my blood work and tests done and was ready to be pumped with the poison.

A cannula was inserted into my arm to administer the drug and the nurse said to me: 'Not long to go now'.

Then the alarm bell rang at around 1pm. I looked at the nurse and someone said: 'This one is real.'

The nurses were so calm and collected and there was no panic at all. They were very professional as they evacuated the patients.

We got outside and were standing outside the hospital and, from the courtyard, we could see the fire in the roof.

Patients were coming out, some on mattresses and gurneys [trolleys], nurses were trying to finish off the treatments they had started as best as they could.

They took their treatments and their patients very seriously and I can't praise them enough.

'Beacons of light'

I was standing outside with my mum and dad and was freezing. There was a pub right next to the hospital and one of the nurses said I should go in the pub because if you get a cold when you are on chemo, it knocks you for six.

I was quite happy to go into the pub and around 2.30pm, a nurse came in and asked if I wanted to keep the cannula in overnight or take it out.

I don't think I could be in better hands than at the Marsden. They have made what is a horrific experience as pleasant as it can be.

I said I would take it out and she did it right then and there in the pub.

It's a very simple procedure but it was an example of their professionalism.

The nurses were beacons of light. They just didn't stop making sure that everyone was OK and trying to find all their patients and making sure everyone was there.

I was diagnosed in October last year and was told by doctors that I have 18 months to live. This has been a blow, as you can expect, but the help I have received at the Royal Marsden has been tremendous.

I don't think I could be in better hands than at the Marsden. They have made what is a horrific, horrific experience as pleasant as it can be.

I have a videoblog on You Tube called the Boas Blog which helps me when I'm low and through it I have raised �23,500 for the Marsden.

It's a shame what's happened to it, although it looks like the fire wasn't as bad as first thought.

The registrar told me that they are slowly getting bits of the hospital back so I can go in, maybe on Friday, to have my treatment.