Charlie and Vanessa's twins are now healthy two-year-olds

Vanessa Love, 33, of Westhill, Aberdeenshire, was told she had the life-threatening disease just after discovering she was expecting twins.

Blake and Rohan were born in 2005, and mother and sons are all now doing well.

Their father, Charlie, has reunited his band to play Aberdeen's Lemon Tree on Saturday to raise the charity money.

Vanessa and boys are doing really well. The boys are big and lots of trouble Charlie Love

Mr Love's former band performed under the names The Dreaming and Tinderbox in the early 1990s.

He decided that the reunion gig was a good way to raise hundreds if not thousands of pounds for Leukaemia Research.

Former medical receptionist Mrs Love found out in October 2004 that she was pregnant, then in January 2005 she discovered that she was expecting twins.

Just four days later, however, routine tests gave a diagnosis of leukaemia.

Made medical history

Despite the risks to herself, she decided not to have aggressive chemotherapy and instead took remission drugs as she wanted the best for her unborn babies.

At 31 weeks she had to be taken into hospital in Aberdeen with stomach pains and feared the worst.

Charlie Love's band have reformed to raise charity money

Blake and Rohan were delivered by Caesarean section on 16 May after surgery on a twisted bowel which had caused the pain.

Mrs Love was believed to have made medical history when she gave birth to the identical boys after turning down the treatment.

Blake was only 3lb 9oz and Rohan, born a minute later, was even smaller at 3lb 5oz.

It would be another two months before the twins could go home.

She began chemotherapy to fight the leukaemia after the drugs kept it at bay during her pregnancy.

'Wonderful opportunity'

Mr Love, 38, told the BBC Scotland news website: "Vanessa and the boys are doing really well.

"Vanessa starts to be taken off medication in November and the boys are big and lots of trouble."

Of the gig and reunion he said: "It's a wonderful opportunity to raise funds for Leukaemia Research, to see old friends and to celebrate Vanessa's recovery.

"I had to spend some time tracking down old band mates, some of them on the other side of the world, but when I asked them to play this fundraiser they had no hesitation in saying yes. We have been rehearsing and it's all come back.

"Vanessa and I have had so much help and prayers from so many people that we really feel this event is an opportunity to say thank you and do something to help others."

Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Leukaemia Research, said: "We're pleased to hear Vanessa and the boys are doing well.

"The fundraising gig is a fantastic idea and we hope the event is a success."