Love for Libby

Libby Cotts, 13, from Essex has aplastic anaemia. She is searching for a blood stem cell donor.

Libby spent lockdown exercising regularly, often riding her bike. However, noticeable bruising would always appear afterwards. Thinking it was growing pains and Libby being a very active child taking part in activities such as horse riding, playing hockey and netball as well as making little to no complaints about them, life carried on.

Libby was fortunate enough to carry on schooling as normal but during a hockey match she received an injury that developed an unusual response and she was advised to attend hospital. It was there, in October 2020, that the diagnosis of aplastic anaemia was given. By December she had a donor and was due for transplant, with plans of spending the latter part of Christmas and the early New Year period recovering from the procedure. Devastatingly, this was not to be, as the donor became unavailable. Libby and her family then began a second desperate search for a donor.

Thankfully, a donor was found for Libby in February 2021. Libby is one of the lucky ones. There are still many other people who are searching for their lifesaving match right now.

Libby’s Mum Gemma says: " My family and I have been on the register for years but sadly we were not matches. We appreciate some people are scared to participate in becoming donors due to this pandemic. The first step is getting onto the register, the second is to actually want to donate if you are a match. This is a selfless act which can save a life and I applaud everyone who has donated".