About
Welcome to Milkshakes for Marleigh Community
Amazon #1 Bestseller
Available online now and in all good Australian bookstores
One in three Australians will need blood in their lifetime and yet only one in thirty donate it, this results in persistent critical blood shortages. For Milkshakes for Marleigh founder Kate Fisher, this is personal. Her seven- year-old daughter Marleigh will be dependent on blood products for life to treat autoimmune encephalitis. They are lifesaving when she relapses and life-preserving for every infusion in-between.
If you have ever donated blood you may be responsible for one of these extraordinary tales of survival!
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Meet your host
Kate Fisher
Best selling author and award winning postcast host
Kate is the host and producer of The Milkshakes for Marleigh Podcast where she tells the survival stories of blood product recipients. This is her creative solution to the social problem that not enough people donate blood. Only 1 in 30 Australians donate blood and yet 1 in 3 will need it in their lifetime. Kate is on a mission to change that, while thanking as many blood donors as she can along the way. You can find the Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast on your favourite podcast platform.
Kate is a mother at the helm of a family with additional needs. Kate has four children, three of them are living and like her, they have various complex medical conditions, physical and neurodevelopmental disabilities. She is helplessly in love with her husband Geoff and adores navigating their crazy, challenging, joy filled life together.
Kate was initially inspired by her daughter Marleigh who became unwell at the age of three and was eventually diagnosed with Seronegative Paediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis. This is a life-threatening condition with no cure, however treatment is possible with Intravenous Immunoglobulin Infusions (IVIG) made from donated human plasma. For Marleigh this treatment is lifesaving during the acute phases of her illness and life preserving for every infusion in between. Marleigh will be dependent on blood donors for life. She is now eight-years-old and has blown out five bonus set of birthday candles thanks to Australian blood donors. Kate encourages people to donate blood for the Milkshakes for Marleigh Lifeblood team so she can track the number of donations made by people inspired by Marleigh’s incredible story of survival.
Please book your donation here today! Those outside Australia can share their stories and blood donations via the Milkshakes for Marleigh social media channels.
International #1 Bestseller!
Milkshakes for Marleigh Children's Book
This book was never just about our family. It’s a celebration of the extraordinary people we’ll never meet—the strangers whose quiet acts of generosity keep other families together every single day.
It’s also a book about hope. About helping children understand that kindness can save lives. And about creating a future where blood donation is simply something every child assumes they’ll grow up and do, while inspiring the parents reading bedtime stories beside them to roll up their sleeves too.
Reaching International #1 Bestseller is an incredible milestone, but what excites me most is what it represents: this conversation is growing.
Donate Blood Today
Shakes for Jakes
Lifeblood subteam for Kate’s Brother
Since founding Milkshakes for Marleigh in 2021, Kate’s brother Jake has also become a regular whole blood, platelet and plasma recipient as he undergoes treatment for Lymphoma. This has included many rounds of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. Jake is currently recovering on his farm near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, spending days with his wife Suzanne and two beautiful little girls Evie and Abigail spending days swimming in their pool, chasing chooks and riding their ponies all thanks to having his life saved and prolonged by Australian blood donors. His family now encourages people to donate blood for the Lifeblood Team: #ShakesforJake is a subteam of The Milkshakes for Marleigh Lifeblood Team.
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