Essi’s Story Reminds Us Why Blood Donors Are Needed Every Day: “I Get to Be Here Today”
Essi knows firsthand what blood donation and stem cell donation can mean. The young woman, who was diagnosed with a serious blood cancer, was successfully treated thanks to blood donors and a stem cell donor found through the Stem Cell Registry. Now, she wants to thank them all.
The papers for a wonderful new home had just been signed. Her studies were progressing steadily, and exciting new responsibilities at work lay ahead. It was the middle of winter in 2024, and everything in 25-year-old Essi’s life seemed to be going better than ever.
Yet she had been struggling with severe fatigue and headaches. At first, Essi blamed the symptoms on a lingering flu. But when even the short walk to a nearby grocery store left her exhausted, she decided to see a doctor.
Blood tests revealed alarming results, and Essi was urgently referred for further examinations at Meilahti Hospital in Helsinki.
Just a few days later, Essi received her diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rapidly progressing blood cancer in which the bone marrow begins producing large numbers of leukemia cells.
– Even though I had been feeling very unwell, I never expected a diagnosis like that.
The expertise of nurses brought reassurance
Essi spent the next month at Meilahti Hospital, and the plans for her move had to be put on hold. Chemotherapy treatment began less than a week later, as the disease required urgent care.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Essi remembers the ward nurses especially warmly. Their professionalism and determination immediately created a sense of safety, and they always took the time to answer her questions.
– The disease was unfamiliar to me, but it was something they dealt with every day. That gave me confidence. I knew I was receiving excellent care, says Essi.
At first, Essi searched for a lot of information on her own, but eventually decided to stop Googling and trust only what her doctors told her. Looking back, it felt like the right decision.
– Later, I realized that what I was really searching for was peer support. That’s one reason why it feels important for me to share my own story now.
Because of the risk of infection, Essi had to remain in isolation during her treatments. It was mentally challenging. Visits from her partner and family helped her cope during a long period of uncertainty. Small everyday conversations made a difference. It felt wonderful to talk about ordinary things, like music festivals, when life otherwise revolved entirely around being in the hospital ward.
– I tried to walk the ward corridors as much as my strength allowed.
Blood products played a vital role in treatment
During her cancer treatment, Essi received both red blood cell and platelet products. She could also feel firsthand how important these blood products were to her recovery.
– I started bruising more easily, and my condition became really weak. After receiving a red blood cell transfusion, I could clearly feel the difference. Oxygen was circulating better, and I had the strength to walk again, Essi recalls.
The chemotherapy treatments were effective, but after they ended, Essi’s blood counts did not recover as they should have.
The best-matched donor was found through the Stem Cell Registry
Eventually, Essi’s doctors decided that she needed a stem cell transplant. Stem cell transplantation is used to treat leukemia and other malignant blood diseases when all other treatment options have been exhausted. In a stem cell transplant, a patient’s diseased stem cells are replaced with healthy stem cells donated by a volunteer donor. Each year, around 150 patients in Finland need the help of a volunteer stem cell donor. About one in six of them is a child.
– A stem cell transplant sounded incredibly overwhelming and frightening. Would they find a suitable donor for me? How demanding would the transplant be, and how would my body cope with it?
The compatibility of Essi’s siblings was assessed, and her twin brother would have been a half-matched, or haploidentical, donor. However, an even better tissue-type match was found through the Stem Cell Registry. The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service Stem Cell Registry consists of volunteers from whom matching donors are sought for patients with serious illnesses. Each year, about 60 registry members are given the opportunity to help save a life. Donors are selected based on factors including tissue type compatibility.
– I feel incredibly fortunate that this stranger was such a good match for me as a stem cell donor. It’s astonishing to think that my life depended on someone deciding to join the Stem Cell Registry.
Although Essi was nervous, she trusted the care she was receiving. As more details about the procedure became clear, she felt increasingly reassured.
The stem cell transplant went well. Essi experienced some graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a complication in which immune cells from the donor begin to recognize the patient’s own tissues as foreign and attack them. However, she received treatment for the condition, and everything turned out well.
It’s incredible to think that my life depended on someone deciding to join the Stem Cell Registry.– Essi
“I Appreciate This Moment So Much More”
Today, Essi is doing well. She has returned to her studies and work and enjoys the simple pleasures of everyday life with her partner, friends, and her one-and-a-half-year-old dog. Her siblings’ children bring joy to her life, and she has loved being able to return to places filled with people. Graduation is also on the horizon.
– Getting sick brought every aspect of my life to a standstill. As cliché as it may sound, I appreciate this moment so much more now. My health and the people I love.
Essi also wants to thank all blood donors and everyone who has joined the Stem Cell Registry.
– Thanks to blood donors and my stem cell donor, I made it through the treatments and get to be here today.
