A young mother from Wavertree, Liverpool, Hannah Newman-Smith, was shocked to discover that her easily bruised skin and fatigue were symptoms of a serious condition. One incident involved her toddler hitting her in the face with a remote control, leaving her with a black eye. Ignoring these signs until an accident at work prompted her to seek medical attention, Hannah was soon diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare blood condition that affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells. Hannah was referred to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre for a stem cell transplant, as it is the regional center for such treatments.
Although her sister was not a match, a donor from abroad was found, and Hannah underwent a stem cell transplant in June. After several rounds of chemotherapy, her body was prepared for the transplant, and now, more than five months later, Hannah is recovering well. She hopes to raise awareness and encourage others to become stem cell and blood donors as she expresses gratitude towards her anonymous donor who “did something amazing” by saving her life. The process of finding the right donor involved coordination between multiple teams and the donor’s medical team from around the world.
Dr. Muhammad Saif, the director of the stem cell transplant unit at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, explained that treating patients with aplastic anaemia is rare, with only two or three cases each year. Hannah’s case was severe, and although there were risks due to her ongoing recovery from an infection, the decision was made to proceed with the transplant. The priority was ensuring the best outcome for Hannah and her young family.
