Georgie's story

I am a happy, mostly healthy 18 year old. This wasn't the case over the last three years of my life though. When I was 15 was diagnosed with a blood disorder. I had been feeling faint and was looking very pale my mum took me to see my GP, he sent me to get a blood test. He called that evening to say go that I needed to go into hospital straight away, I had the lowest heamaglobin (red blood cell count) he had ever seen, it was 36 compared to a normal count of about 120. the on call doctor at the hospital that evening was surprised that I was able to walk around. That night I had my first three blood transfusions.

A few weeks later I was diagnosed with something called Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), which meant that my body was destroying my red blood cells. The best option to cure the PNH was a bone marrow transplant, which I had in November 2012.

The transplant fixed the PNH but the road to recovery has been long and slow with many ups and downs, including a recurring virus, a low platelet disorder called ITP, and a surgery to remove my spleen. Because of these complications over the course of the last few years I have had more blood transfusions than I could possibly count, somewhere between 70 and 100 though I think. This included plasma, red blood cells and platelets as well as the bone marrow for the transplant.

I am mostly all better now I am doing a business management course at polytechnic this year to catch up on school work that I have missed. Next year I plan to go to university and do a commerce degree, live in a hostel and have a fantastic time. Sometime after that I want to travel the world, live and work in London for a few years like my mum did, then come back to New Zealand and have a family.
Without blood donations It wouldn't be possible for me to make or carry out my plans and dreams for my future, I wouldn't get to see the world, fall in love or live my adult life. Thank you so very much to every one involved in the blood donation process am so grateful, I will never forget what you have given me.

Without the help of my family, doctors, Nurses and the generosity of all the people in New Zealand who donate their blood I would not be here today. I want to say thank you so much to everyone who donated blood You have saved my life, helped me to become healthy again and given me back my future.