KEVICC Courier Winter 2021 Lockdown

Lockdown Challenge Page 18 Spending the first months of 2021 in yet another lockdown may have left you feeling a bit grey and dreary, and January-ish. I decided that it was time to take up a challenge to beat the blues and raise awareness of a really important and life-changing condition at the same time. Back in 2016, my friend and colleague Emma Sim became very ill, whilst working as a teacher here at KEVICC. She was diagnosed with leukaemia and has been showing the disease who’s boss ever since. I want our community to be aware that through registering as a stem cell donor, we all have the potential to save a life. I will be running a marathon in April to raise funds for Blood Cancer UK, who have been supporting Emma and her family through her journey. If you can’t register as a donor but you would like to support through fundraising for Blood Cancer UK, the link is: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/amy-withers3 Be a Hero by Amy Withers In 2016 whilst working at KEVICC as a Business and Economics teacher I was given the life changing news that I had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). Those first days after being givenmy diagnosis are a blur. I was in total shock and could not understand how at 26 years old my whole life had been completely turned upside down. I undertook a gruelling chemotherapy regime and spent the next 6 months as an inpatient at both Torbay and Derriford hospital. The side effects from the chemotherapy were tough and because Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood it affects your whole body. Unfortunately, I developed a rare complication from the chemotherapy and suffered a serious bleed on the brain and meningitis. I was going to need a Stem Cell Transplant. The light at the end of the tunnel came from my stem cell donor – my brother. I was incredibly fortunate that I had a sibling who was able to be tested. A simple blood test for him that would inevitably save my life. There is a 25% chance of a sibling being a stem cell match and it was literally life changing when we got the news. I had my stem cell transplant at Derriford on 22nd August 2016. I am now 4 ½ years post-transplant. There have been many hurdles along the way and the journey hasn’t always been easy but I am so grateful for everything that I have. I am indebted to the amazing NHS teams that looked (and continue) to look after me, my incredibly supportive friends and family and of course my wonderful donor brother. Emma Sim Blood Cancer Facts Sadly every 14 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer and 2,000 people need a lifesaving stem cell transplant every year. 75% of people will not have a matching donor in their families and will need to find a lifesaving donor elsewhere. Becoming a Life Saving Stem Cell Donor How can you help? Sign up to the UK Stem Cell Register (DKMS or Anthony Nolan). If you are aged between 18-55 and in good health you are eligible to sign up to the stem cell donor register. If you are matched with a patient you will be asked to donate your stem cells from your blood in a process that is similar to making a blood donation. Raise Money for Blood Cancer UK through fundraising https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/amy-withers3 Above : Having treatment & recovery post-transplant Above : Emma looking fabulous two years post-transplant