Plea from donor recipient to help others “survive and thrive”

“It’s been one hell of a two years.” That is how Waianakarua woman Henrietta Purvis describes the time since she broke her neck in a farm quad-bike crash in August 2024 until she recovered from a stem cell transplant done a year later. Back riding her horse and regaining her strength after what she described as both a life-changing and life-saving experience, Mrs Purvis, 62, is keen to stress the importance of public blood and plasma donations. New Zealand relies on 100% voluntary donations of which 5000 are needed each week. Up to three lives are saved each time a donor gives blood. From February 18 to August 12 last year, Mrs Purvis received 14 units of red blood cells — the equivalent of about two two-litre milk bottles filled with liquid — as she received chemotherapy to prepare for the transplant. Between transplant day on August 15 and October 1, she required a further 17 units of red blood cells and nine ATD (adult therapeutic doses) of platelets. Since returning home in late October, she had not required any further blood infusions. ‘‘I am so grateful to everyone who donates and helps people survive and thrive,’’ she said. It was December 2024 when Mrs Purvis — still recovering from her neck injury and wearing a neck brace — got double pneumonia and also experienced vertigo, a lack of energy and frequent vomiting. Between Christmas and New Year, she had several visits to the emergency department at Oamaru Hospital where she was usually put on a drip for 24 hours or so and sent home. But her condition deteriorated and she secured a bed for respite care at retirement complex Observatory Village where she was in isolation for 10 days with a bad stomach bug. Blood tests eventually revealed she had myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a rare blood cancer. Although the diagnosis came as shocking news, she at least knew why she was so sick. MDS affected normal blood cell production in the bone marrow where it did not produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells and/or platelets. It could also produce an excess of immature blood cells known as blast cells. A stem cell, or bone marrow transplant, was required and, on August 8, she was admitted to Christchurch Hospital and, a week later, received stem cells flown from an unknown donor in Germany. Mrs Purvis was in hospital for about six weeks, hoping her body did not reject the donor cells and that her body could fight off infection. She was attached to a drip virtually constantly, receiving medication and fluids and, for about a week, food through tubes. Friends and family rallied around her husband Graeme with meals and he visited when he could from the couple’s farm where he was managing their business Purvis Feeds during its busiest ever three months. Eventually, her blood statistics rose to a level where she could go to ‘‘amazing’’ Rānui House, a two-minute walk from the Christchurch Hospital block, where she stayed at no cost until well enough to return home. A caregiver was required to be with her 24-hours a day at Rānui and a roster of friends and family was organised and many walks were enjoyed at the nearby Botanic Gardens. Ironically, English-born Mrs Purvis was a blood donor in the United Kingdom before moving to New Zealand in the early 2000s, but was ineligible to donate in her new home country — she was recently made a New Zealand citizen — until the mad cow blood donation rule finally changed in 2024. Two of her friends, who stayed with her at Rānui, started giving blood while they were there, and her brother and niece were also now making donations. The New Zealand Blood Service was encouraging people to enrol with their friends, workmates or sports teams. Mrs Purvis said it was more difficult to be a blood donor in rural or provincial areas as there were no permanent donation places like in the cities and more planning was required. But appointments could easily be made and it did not take long to do. ‘‘Things can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be. Not everybody can do it but if you can … it’s one of those things, it costs you nothing, it doesn’t take that much time and look at the impact. Who knows when one of you or yours might need it? Just as the saying said, it took a village to raise a child, it took a lot of people to support one patient. Whether it was her donor in Germany, the hospital staff and carers or those who continued to run their business or make meals for her husband, ‘‘everybody played such an important part’’. Appointments are being taken for a mobile blood drive due to visit Oamaru on August 11-13 and can be made via 0800 448-325.

Plea from donor recipient to help others “survive and thrive”

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