I am 24 years old and I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia on 9 August 2000. Yep, National Day, which is why I will never forget that date. I was pursuing my degree in the UK then when I became very ill with no apparent cause. A routine blood examination hinted at my condition, which was later confirmed by a haematologist.

The Only Way Forward
My only cure was through a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) and I was fortunate enough that my brother was an exact match. I had intended to complete my final year in school before this transplant, but before I knew it, the disease started progressing to more advanced stages, which meant that the chances of success through a transplant would be drastically reduced.

Chemotherapy & its Effects on Me
Due to the rapid transformation of the disease, I had to undergo 2 phases of chemotherapy. The first was to slow down and eradicate the increasing number of leukaemic cells, while the second was to (almost) completely kill all leukaemic cells, so that the transplant would have better chances of being a success.

Chemo is administered in liquid form either orally or injected straight into your veins. It acts to kill ALL rapid-producing cells in our bodies regardless of cancer cells or normal cells. So while the cancer cells are being killed, hair cells, skin cells and more importantly my blood cells also started to die. Hence, not only did my hair start to fall, ulcers formed in my mouth and I became more susceptible to illnesses.

Blood donations saved my life
Without red blood and platelet transfusions, I would have died (even after the transplant, as it takes time for the new cells to start working properly). I needed about 3 packs of red blood cells and another 3 packs of platelets for each round of chemo treatment. Now on, hindsight, I was just one out of many patients who needed blood products. There are others out there who need blood transfusions just as badly as I did then…accident victims, people undergoing operations, others with blood disorders, very ill children…the list is endless.

What’s going on now.
From the time I was warded, I have learnt that there have been countless occasions in which the blood banks in Singapore have run dry. As hard as it is to believe, it is true. How frustrating & worrying, not to mention life threatening, if blood is not available at the time you need it. We all assume that Singapore’s blood supply falls from the sky. and the majority of people who lead healthy, normal lives forget or ignore the fact that they are the ONLY solution to the minority who are not so fortunate.

The Next Step
As of April 2001, it would have been almost 4 months since my transplant. Leukaemia is a life-long condition. There is always a risk it may come back even after a successful transplant. And it is still early times for me.

Without the people who volunteered to donate their red blood cells and platelets, I would not be where I am now. I am very determined to fight this disease all the way. The gift of life is too precious to be given away just like that.

There are many others out there who need you. Your generosity can help save lives. Only YOU can make a difference.

In Fondest Memory… Even while battling leukemia, Jeanette worked selflessly as a volunteer on our editorial team. Shortly after writing this appeal, she suffered a relapse, and left us on 15 April, just one day after we launched Donorweb. Though she did not win at the end, she fought bravely throughout. On her behalf, we'd like to thank all the donors who gave her that precious chance. Her fighting spirit and kind soul still live in our hearts, giving us strength and motivation.