Hannah’s grateful parents urge donors to help save others Thankful for lifeblood
HANNAH Larsen’s cancer survival took extensive surgery, years of treatment and an untold number of people who donated blood, plasma and platelets to get her through.
And when the nine- yearold St Joesph’s School Mundingburra student rang the bell at the Townsville Hospital Paediatric Oncology Day Unit to signify the end of her exhaustive three- year cancer journey, her parents Simone and Mads Larsen felt the luckiest of parents.
“Our world shattered when we found out Hannah had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia,” Mrs Larsen said.
“Hannah was diagnosed on a Tuesday and was isolated and getting blood transfusions, and within a day she was being flown to hospital in Brisbane.
“It was a no- brainer for us to take time off work to sup- port Hannah. After all, you can always make money back but you can’t get a life back.”
Once diagnosed with leukaemia, more than two years of intense therapy started, with Hannah courageously battling her way through bone marrow aspirations, lumber punctures, blood and platelet transfusions, a port- acath insertion and daily chemotherapy.
“Blood and plasma donations saved Hannah’s life.” Mrs Larsen said.
“You can’t get something like this through without plasma and blood donations and Hannah’s probably had about 20 or more transfusions since the diagnosis, so every person that can donate will be saving a life just like hers.”
Mrs Larsen has donated blood and plasma for more than 20 years, and has made a stem cell donation.
“Donating blood and plasma is always what I’ve done and always knew it was the right thing for me to do,” she said. “But since Hannah was diagnosed and has need so much blood and plasma it has really brought home what a lifesaver giving blood and plasma is.
“You give blood, you give plasma, you save someone’s life,” she said. “It’s that simple and it’s that real.”
Ms Larsen said the completion of Hannah’s cancer journey is continuing.
“For us, the journey is far from over and the road ahead might be easy, it might be hard, but we’re all committed to doing the absolute best we can,” she said.
To donate blood at the Townsville Donor Centre call 13 14 95.