Snapshots
Snapshots
Thanks from blood recipients
and their families
There is no way that all the stories shared with Kate through the Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast and community could be told within the pages of her book. Instead included here are snapshots of these stories and the messages of thanks from blood recipients and their families.
David Mead – Former Brisbane Bronco and former captain, Papua New Guinea, Kamuls
Season two, Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast
Kylie Miller – Author and blood product recipient
Season two, Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast
Kylie is an award-winning author who has written books that have supported children through challenges such as the aftermath of the Australian bushfires of the 2019-20 summer.
Dean Hewitt – Curler, Australian Winter Olympian
Season two – Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast
Molly Dawson – Blood recipient and cancer survivor
Milkshakes for Marleigh community member
Molly thanks Australian blood donors for making her treatment possible and giving her a future beyond cancer. She is now studying criminology at Sunshine Coast University, works at Australia Zoo and has devoted herself tovolunteering and telling her story to help
others. Some of her proudest moments have been working with The Sony Foundation to help young people in need, raising awareness and funds for cancer research as ambassador for Relay for Life, offering peer support to other young people with cancer as an ambassador for Canteen’s Bandana Day and being a proud blood donation advocate volunteering to tell her story to support Lifeblood in recruiting new blood donors. She is also a proud member of the Milkshakes for Marleigh community and encourages all eligible Australians to make a blood donation.
Rebecca Ind – Blood donor and blood product recipient
Season two, Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast
Long before becoming a recipient, Beck was a committed long-term blood donor. She has made over two hundreddonations and has no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.
Beck is the greatest cheerleader for the Milkshakes for Marleigh blood donation advocacy movement and is one of Marleigh’s favourite people.
Siohhan Wilson – fourteen-year-old business owner andblood recipient
Season three – Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast
At the age of fourteen, Siobhan is the founder of Our Pixie Friends and is on a mission to help sick kids feel less alone. She uses her lived experiences to create support packs, sensory toys and picture books to support young people all over Australia who are facing challenges or trauma.
Siobhan and Fiona thank those who donated the blood that saved their lives and encourage all eligible Aussies to consider making a donation in the future.
Sam Ryan – Motor vehicle accident survivor and blood donor
Milkshakes for Marleigh community member
Sam in now one of the one hundred anti-D plasma donors in Australia; these antibodies save thousands of Australian babies per year. Sam knows that Australian blood donors saved his life, and he has made a lifelong commitment to blood donation in his second chance at life.
Brooke Hanson, OAM – Olympic gold medalist swimmer, former world record holder and world champion
Milkshakes for Marleigh community member
During his time in the NICU, Jack received countless blood products to sustain his life. Brooke describes that in the time her and husband Jared spent with him, Jack showed so much personality and determination. In the end, no amount of blood products could overcome Jack’s chronic lung disease and pulmonary hypertension, and he lost his battle after suffering a cardiac arrest at just nine months old.
Over a decade since Jack’s passing, Brooke and Jared remain dedicated to increasing awareness about premature birth, blood donation and ‘the importance of family’.