Ally Ainsworth has been donating blood and plasma for ten years. It’s something she always saw as a privilege to be able to do, but that feeling was amplified last year when she got the call to say she was the perfect match to donate stem cells.
Stem cells are basically a repair kit for the body. They are crucial for creating new cells and replacing damaged or old ones with embryonic stem cells in particular able to become any cell type. To be able to donate you must be a perfect match, otherwise the cells would start attacking each other.
Ally is completing her operator traineeship at Jellinbah Mine near Bluff. At 26 years old this is Ally’s first taste of the mining industry after previously working at a blood donation bank for five years.
She had seen many people come into the blood bank and be tested to see if they were a stem cell match for someone, but she had never seen the process go right through to the end – until now.
“I received a call in August last year. I came up in the system as a potential match for a patient, I couldn’t believe it.
“I was asked to go and do some more tests to see if I was the perfect match. Becoming a stem cell donor is a journey of its own. Stem cells are the foundation of our blood and immune system and for people facing life-threatening illnesses like leukemia, lymphoma or other blood disorders, a stem cell transplant can be their only chance of surviving.
“Three months later I found out that I was a perfect match for the patient that needed them! I went to Brisbane and did a few tests to make sure I was healthy and well. In the weeks leading up to my donation I also received injections to encourage my body to produce extra stem cells, helping them move from my bone marrow into my bloodstream.
“Honestly that was the hardest part for me because I don’t like needles, and I had to do it myself,” laughed Ally.
Then it was the day of the big donation.
“Throughout this process, I’ve never felt like I was doing something remarkable. If anything, the person receiving my stem cells is the remarkable one. They are the one fighting, enduring, hoping, and holding on through something I can’t begin to imagine.
“It felt like I was stepping into a moment that had the power to change someone’s entire future. In December I sat in a chair for six hours with a needle in each arm – it was basically like a big plasma machine that drew my blood out and spun out the stem cells before putting the blood back into my system. It was a long six hours, it was so draining.”
Ally doesn’t know the person who is receiving her stem cells – all she knows is that they are overseas and in three months she’ll get an update to find out if her stem cells have been accepted by the patient’s body or not.
“It would be wonderful to hear that they have gotten a new chance at life, it’ll obviously be heartbreaking to hear if they haven’t – it’s been such an emotional experience, but I am so grateful I have been able to do this.
“In two years we can write an anonymous letter to each other and get in touch so for now we just wait.
“Sharing my story isn’t about recognition; it’s about awareness. Blood, plasma, and stem cell donations are real acts of love that save lives every single day. I’ve seen firsthand how plasma products helped my mum and pop during their sickest, most vulnerable moments, giving them strength when they needed it most. To now have the chance to donate stem cells, to potentially save someone’s life, and to give another family more time… that is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Ally said.
Ally encourages anyone who can to donate, because you never know, it could literally save a life.
| From blood, plasma and platelets to organ and tissue donation – and even breast milk – there are many ways you can help others in need. Learn more about how you can make a difference at www.lifeblood.com.au |
