Rachael Howes is a Survival Equipment Technician on 29 Squadron and joined the RAF twelve years ago. A sports and fitness fanatic, Corporal Howes plays football for the Royal Air Force, and the Lincoln and Sleaford squads. At the end of November Rachael, and 11 of her teammates from the RAF Senior Representative Women’s Football Team, raised over £3500 with an exhausting 24-hour gym-a-thon for Blood Cancer UK – and she didn’t stop there.
Whilst on deployment in late 2023, Rachael began to experience stomach pains, coupled with feelings of lethargy and unwellness: “I play football for the RAF and I was asking why can’t I get my fitness up, why am I so tired.”
The doctor referred her for tests, which returned the worst imaginable results. Corporal Howes said: “I was shocked at first, I had thought it was Crohn’s or something like that, but the last words you expect to hear at that point are that it’s incurable cancer and you instantly fear the worst-case scenario.”
The official diagnosis did not arrive until February 2024, after a scan and the intensely painful experience of a bone-marrow biopsy. Rachael said: “I went back for an appointment a fortnight later, but those two weeks were the worst because I didn’t know it hadn’t spread, and I thought I was riddled with it.”
When cancer is detected in the bone marrow, it is technically stage four cancer. But because Corporal Howes’s cancer had not spread to any other part of her body, it was treatable. It is unusual for a 39-year-old woman to contract this type of blood cancer; it most commonly affects men over the age of 65.
Months of targeted therapy and chemotherapy followed. She said: “You don’t feel very well; there’s feelings of sickness, tiredness and fatigue. It is hard to stay positive, but after the first few cycles of chemo, I learned that I would feel bad for a few days and then you feel normal for a few days.”
Undefeated, just ten days after her chemotherapy had finished, Rachael took on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. As if that wasn’t enough, she completed the Shine Night Walk London Marathon, and the Snowdon Triple Challenge (12-mile cycle ride, 10-mile hike up and down Snowdon, and 3 miles kayaking).
By her own admission, Rachael is lucky, and the treatment has worked. Her cancer levels are low, she is in partial remission and able to work. “I was grateful to be employed by the RAF, being through what I’ve just been through. Just want to say thank you to my mates and my family for supporting me through this. And SSAFA and the RAF Ben Fund have been amazing. I just want to raise as much money as I can now, for people who are going through the same thing.”
So far, Rachael has raised £5000 for Blood Cancer UK, and you can donate to Blood Cancer UK through her JustGiving page: https://justgiving.com/page/rachaelhowes
Wing Commander Bryn Kirby is Officer Commanding Air Wing Engineering at RAF Coningsby. He said: “After receiving the terrifying news of diagnosis, and showing such immense fortitude and courage through her treatment, Cpl Howes’ fundraising efforts have been simply incredible. Her selfless commitment to raise awareness of this awful disease and collect such an amazing amount of money for Blood Cancer UK is a real credit to her character. It is such an important cause, and I would urge everyone to support Rachael in whatever way they can.”
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The 24-Hour Gym-A-Thon Team (Crown Copyright). Photo: IAN FORSHAW
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Rachael with her Shine Walk London Marathon medal. Photo: ugc
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Cpl Howes and two friends on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Photo: ugc