Janet Boyle
WHEN schoolgirl Susie Harte won her fight to survive a serious form of leukemia, pupils and staff at her Lanarkshire school said thanks in the best possible way, writes Janet Boyle.
The 17-year-old was saved by blood platelets and other blood products when she developed the life-threatening disease, and yesterday, more than 100 donors from Hamilton's Holy Cross High School gave blood to help others.
The sixth former became seriously ill at the age of 12 from myeloid leukemia which, even with current advances in cancer therapy, only 50% of patients survive.
Vital elements in her treatment were chemotherapy and blood products, including platelets which, as the Blood Transfusion Service explained, last only five days and make the search for donors relentless.
Despite her illness, Susie thrived at school and last year gained five straight A-grade Highers, results which won her a place at Aberdeen University to study medicine. She believes it was the encouragement of doctors at Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital which inspired her.
''I was treated so well that I decided I wanted to work in medicine, and my doctors gave me every hope that I would,'' she said.
As she watched others queue to give blood, she added: ''I don't think I would be alive today if it had not been for the sheer dedication of donors who gave their time to donate blood.
''Out there, are some very important people I will never even meet. They are the anonymous and unsung heroes who donated blood.''
Blood donations can be given at 17 with parental permission, and at 18 without. Around 50% of sixth-formers at Holy Cross are aged 17.
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