Holiday blood test reveals Canberra woman has leukaemia
A blood test during a medical hold-up on a Tasmania caravan trip revealed leukaemia in Belconnen resident Shelley Jacobs.
Shelley Jacobs was on a caravan trip in Tasmania when she decided to get a quick blood test during a medical hold-up. The next day she was in hospital being told she had leukaemia.
She'd felt fatigued and had unexplained bruising, but never suspected cancer. Without that chance test, any accident or cut during her trip could have been fatal, as her blood would not clot.
During her bone marrow biopsy, she needed plasma transfusions to survive. Plasma carries antibodies and proteins that help prevent bleeding and infection.
Jacobs' doctors had to apply pressure for an hour and a half just to stop her bleeding, even with the plasma support.
- Belconnen, Canberra
- Location
- 64 to 151
- Plasma donations per patient yearly
- 800 donations
- Plasma needed weekly in Canberra
- Hour and a half
- Time to stop bleeding
Why it mattersJacobs' experience shows how a chance test can catch life-threatening illness early, and the critical role plasma donations play in emergency care.
AustraliaAustralia's plasma donation centres are in urgent need of donations; Canberra alone needs 800 donations weekly, and winter often sees shortfalls.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
