From lockdowns to second chances - Recipient stories, Understanding Donations

In late 2020, Hayley, then 25 years old, was settling into adulthood in Canberra when her health began to falter. She felt unusually tired, struggled with fitness, and her pale complexion raised concerns. After a series of tests, the diagnosis came: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).

The news was life-altering, but with the support of her family, Hayley began treatment. Her younger brother stepped forward as a donor for a life-saving stem cell transplant in July 2021. The procedure was complex, but after several months of recovery, Hayley started to reclaim her life. By early 2023, nearly three years in remission, she felt optimistic. Life was beginning to feel “normal” again.

But in May this year, bruises started appearing, and Hayley felt an all-too-familiar exhaustion. A blood test confirmed her fears – her leukaemia had returned. “It felt like my life was finally good and normal again,” she says. “Finding out I had relapsed was a huge blow.”

This time, treatment would be more challenging. Unlike her first transplant, which relied on a sibling match, this transplant will require an unrelated donor – a process that has introduced its own challenges. “I was told there is no current match for me on the registry,” she shares. “It’s been another blow, but it’s also made me more passionate about getting young people to sign up so that even if they’re not a match for me, they might be for someone else.”

“The hardest part has been the uncertainty,” Hayley admits. “Not knowing if I’ll find a donor, and being away from my family and friends in Canberra for such long periods, has been incredibly difficult. Even when I’m home, being immune-compromised means missing out on so much and having to be very cautious.”

Despite the challenges, Hayley remains hopeful, leaning on her family, friends, and her passions to keep her spirits high. When she’s not undergoing treatment, she loves baking, hiking, and attending concerts – activities she looks forward to enjoying again once she’s healthy. These moments, she says, remind her of what she’s working toward: a future filled with the simple pleasures of life and time spent with the people she loves.

Looking back, Hayley reflects on the importance of stem cell donors, a cause close to her heart long before her diagnosis. Years earlier, she had joined the donor registry after hearing about a friend’s experience with a transplant. “I never imagined I’d be the one needing not just one, but two transplants,” she says. “It’s a reminder of how much these donors mean to people like me.”

For Hayley, sharing her story is about raising awareness of the critical need for donors. “Every potential match gives someone the chance to look forward to their future,” she says. “It’s about more than just survival – it’s about living fully again.”