A grandfather from Amersham is urging others to undergo experimental therapy after it helped him beat cancer. 

Stephen Cossins, 71, from Amersham, signed up for a new drug trial after being diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a rare type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

He told PA that his diagnosis in 2016 was a "shock" and that he kept the news from his young grandchildren as he didn't want them to worry.

In 2019, after the cancer began to spread aggressively, Stephen was invited to take part in a FLAIR drug trial, part of a Shape the Future campaign to encourage people to contribute towards health research.

Instead of traditional chemotherapy, he was put on the cancer growth blocking drugs Ibrutinib and Venetolclax.

Two years after the trial's conclusion, he has no signs of cancer.

Stephen told PA that volunteering for the experimental treatment was the best thing he has ever done.

"Initially I didn't think that taking part in the trial was for me. I thought 'do I really want to be a guinea pig for new drugs?'

"But after the consultant and nurses explained that by taking these drugs as part of the trial, there was a possibility of being completely cancer free in two years, I thought it was worth a shot. I had to roll the dice.

"My wife and children are all delighted. I don't think any of us believed this day would come."

Stephen said that while he was "one of the lucky ones" whose cancer was cured by the drug trial, he was hopeful that spreading the word would help other people going through the same thing.

"If anyone is ever invited to take part in a research study, I'd say put your faith and trust in the nurses and doctors. They know what they are doing.

"You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. And you could save the lives of people living with cancer in the future."

The FLAIR trial Stephen participated in ran under the Be Part of Research service, a digital 'match-making' platform that helps people take part in suitable health and care research across the UK.

It is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) as part of an ongoing project to develop new cures and treatments to diseases including cancer.

Health minister Willl Quince praised volunteers who had signed up to NIHR trials, adding that they were "helping the NHS to save lives".

"NIHR's research studies can lead to billions of pounds in savings for the NHS and cut waiting lists through faster diagnosis and enhanced treatment - but it can't take place without volunteers, so I encourage anyone eligible to sign up."