Three weeks after donating stem cells, Erin ran a half marathon
“I knew a stem cell donation could offer hope to patients and their families,” she says. “Some of our patients would come back to visit us or send letters to update us on their lives. But not everyone had a donor when they needed one, and that really stuck with me.”
For Erin, joining the registry was easy, just a small extra sample at her next blood donation. Then life moved on, and she forgot all about it. Until June 2024.
"Right away, I understood what it meant"
When Erin got the call saying she might be a match for someone, it came as a total surprise. But the meaning behind the call hit her straight away.
“My cells could give someone hope, maybe even a second chance at life,” she says. “There was no hesitation – I was all in from that very first phone call.”
At first, Erin wasn’t the only potential match. But she found herself quietly hoping she’d be the one chosen.
Preparation and support
Once she was confirmed as the preferred donor, Erin started preparing for a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation. The team at Stem Cell Donors Australia guided her through every step, starting with more blood tests and a pre-donation health check.
“From the very start, I felt like my wellbeing was at the centre of this process,” she says. “Nothing moved forward unless I was available, feeling well, and completely on board.”
She was connected with Louise, a Clinical Nurse Consultant, who arranged all the necessary checks; blood tests, an ECG, a chest X-ray, questionnaires, and a consultation with a haematologist to make sure she was healthy and well-supported throughout the process.
She was also given information and training on how to self-inject G-CSF, the medication that helps stem cells move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. Erin took the injections in the evenings and managed side effects like back pain and joint aches with the occasional Panadol. She even kept working through the week, swapping her usual morning runs for gentle walks.
“It felt like I’d done a long workout or had the flu,” she says. “But it was manageable, and I knew what to expect.”
"A quiet sense of pride"
Erin’s donation took place over two days. She describes feeling calm, a little sore from the G-CSF, and quietly proud.
“I knew it was going to be a long day,” she says. “I was a bit nervous about going to the bathroom while hooked up to the machine, and about my phone running out of battery!”
She had IV lines placed in both arms and spent the day in the apheresis unit with her sister by her side. The nurses, haematologist, and coordinator checked on her regularly and made sure she had everything she needed. When her first day of donation didn’t yield quite enough cells, she came back for a shorter second day, and that time, they got plenty.
By that evening, she was out to dinner with friends. Before too long, she ran the Gold Coast Half Marathon.
“Just three weeks later, I travelled to Queensland and ran the Gold Coast Half Marathon with one of my best friends. We finished in near record time, so I can safely say the donation didn’t slow me down for long!”
"I've been a part of someone’s journey"
Looking back, Erin says what surprised her most was how emotionally invested she became.
“Sitting in the apheresis unit and actually seeing the donated cells, it really made it hit home – this wasn’t just a procedure; it was hope for someone.”
Although she doesn’t know who received her donation, Erin often thinks about them and what they might be going through. She’s hopeful the donation gave them strength, and a chance.
She also stresses how supported and valued she felt throughout the process. From pre-donation check-ups to post-donation follow-ups, everything was taken care of: appointments, transport, special leave from work, even a COVID test.
“I don’t know who received the donation, and I don’t need to, but I feel like I’ve been a part of someone’s journey. I can only hope that this donation has given them hope and, at the very least, a chance in the midst of such a difficult time.”
"If it were my family, I'd want someone to help them"
Some of Erin’s loved ones were concerned when she told them about the donation, especially with a half marathon, international travel, and surgery coming up later in the year. But with medical clearance from her haematologist and surgeon, and resources she shared with her family, their concerns were soon eased.
“I felt privileged to be part of someone else’s journey,” she says. “And I also felt a strong ethical responsibility. If it were my family or friends who needed help, I would hope someone would step in for them.”
"It didn't have any lasting impact on me, except in the best way"
Asked what advice she’d give to others thinking about joining the registry, Erin is clear: “It’s a privilege. A chance to offer someone hope when they might not have had any.”
She says the process was straightforward, the side effects were minimal, and she wouldn’t hesitate to donate again.
“There’s a whole team of people focused on your wellbeing. You’re never pressured or rushed, and you’re always in control. I feel really proud to have done this, and I really encourage anyone who’s able to sign up as a donor.”