Not many people are lucky enough to get to sing with a star like Chris Martin - Jennifer Miller

Jennifer Miller, young oncology patient (age 22)

Jennifer Miller

Not many people are lucky enough to get to sing with a star like Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, but that’s what happened to me last weekend at The Christie. And I could never have imagined that it would happen 18 months ago, but 18 months ago I had no idea that I was about to be diagnosed with Leukaemia.

When I was diagnosed with acute promyeloid leukaemia in February 2015, I lost my confidence and thought I had lost my love for music and singing.

I was being treated on the Teenage and Young Adult oncology unit and it was a tough time. My veins narrowed and I had to have a number of lines put in for the treatment to be administered. After every round of chemotherapy I seemed to pick up an infection and needed to be brought back to The Christie.

The nurses would joke with me because no matter how ill I was I always had my music on and was singing along to it - this was my way of coping with what I was going through.

It was during this time that I met Steph, the music teacher on the Teenage and Young Adult oncology unit, and she helped to restore my love for music and singing. Steph had confidence and believed in me.

Every time I had to come back to The Christie after treatment meant I could practice and learn new music. At first I wanted to learn a new instrument but the headaches and chemo made me so ill that I couldn’t stand to practice for more than 5 minutes, as it was just so hard to concentrate. So Steph suggested that it would be best to stick to singing and I agreed.

I was encouraged to get involved in the young oncology unit band called YOU62. The band is made up of young cancer patients who all come to The Christie on a Thursday to practice and learn new songs.

The band have done some fabulous things. We were invited to go to London for an amazing opportunity to record our own song at Vivid Colours Abbey Road which is now available to buy and the money goes to The Christie.

Going to The Christie and singing with the band is what is getting me through life at the moment. The band has given me so much more confidence and belief in myself. I have been given opportunities that I would never have believed in myself enough to do without the band, like singing at fundraising events and in front of staff and patients at Christmas and Halloween.

But, without a doubt my favourite experience was last weekend when Chris Martin from Coldplay came to meet the band and other young patients at The Christie. We were given the opportunity to sing for him and then to sing with him - one of his songs The Scientist!

I can’t explain how amazing this was. We then sat around talking to Chris. He asked us about the YOU62 band and we asked him lots of questions. Chris then posed for photos with us and singed CDs and merchandise. As he was leaving he said he’d had a lovely day and wished he didn’t have to go to work, as he wanted to stay and sing and talk to us, but he had a Coldplay concert at the Etihad stadium that night.

Chris’s tour manger came back with a gift bag for us all. It was so thoughtful, we had tour merchandise and badges, iTunes gift vouchers, felt tip pens, notepads and Lego - all things we can use when we are in hospital.

I went home smiling and telling everyone about my day and how down to earth and amazing and genuine Chris Martin was. I didn’t think the day could get any better but how wrong I was. 

As I got home and opened Twitter and Facebook to upload my photos and videos Coldplay had posted a video from the concert. In it, Chris Martin was telling the whole Etihad stadium full of Coldplay fans how he had been to visit us and had the opportunity to sing with YOU62. He then asked the whole stadium to join in singing the chorus to The Scientist and said he was dedicating it to us. I was so overwhelmed. I was covered in Goosebumps and crying. It just shows that some celebrities are really down to earth.

I’d want to thank The Christie, the Teenage and Young Adult oncology unit and the music teacher Steph for believing in me and giving me all these wonderful opportunities.

Without The Christie, and all the wonderful thing they do for young patients, I don’t think I would have got through my diagnosis and treatment. I have also made some amazing friends and am so lucky to be part of a wonderful band doing something I love.

Thank you.