Save a life campaign spearheaded by Bottesford teenage leukaemia sufferer Ayshea Singh

A TEENAGE leukaemia sufferer who is being kept alive by blood transfusions is spearheading a new Scunthorpe Telegraph campaign to find more donors in North Lincolnshire.

Ayshea Singh was told by doctors that she had only a ten per cent chance of living to the end of the week after being diagnosed with the rare cancer on August 13, her 15th birthday, last year.

Thanks to 12 different donors, she has since had 16 blood transfusions and has been told she is in remission – although it may take her two years to fully recover.

Now Ayshea, of Bottesford, is backing our new Save a Life campaign which aims to find 100 new blood donors in North Lincolnshire.

She said: "Blood donors saved my life and I owe them a debt of gratitude.

"The blood transfusions are keeping me alive."

When Ayshea was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, she was told she had 90 per cent of cancer in her blood.

But five months on, she is fighting the condition – and says she would not be here today without the help of blood donors.

She said: "I was shocked (when I was told I had leukaemia) but I was not upset. I just wanted to get on with the treatment.

"They explained I had acute myeloid leukaemia, which is quite rare.

"It still hasn't sunk in now.

"It has turned my whole world upside down."

Her father Naz Singh said: "I was devastated.

"It was the worst blow you could expect.

"Your whole world is taken from you.

"She has been incredibly brave and it has been difficult for the whole family."

Mr Singh has praised the work of donors who selflessly give their blood to help others.

He said: "My daughter has been saved by blood transfusions.

"We are massively in debt to the people who donate their blood."

Ayshea has had four rounds of chemotherapy since she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

And she is unable to walk properly due to having cellulitis in the skin in her leg – a type of inflammation – as a result of the illness.

Mr Singh said: "She wants to get up and be her normal self.

"She cannot walk on her own because of the illness."

She suffered an infection over Christmas which could have killed her.

"She nearly died," said Mr Singh. "Doctors told us she had 24 hours to pull through this."

She had to spend Christmas at Sheffield Children's Hospital, but her father, her 17-year-old sister Megan and her mother Julie all stayed at a local home so they could spend it with her.

Ayshea is currently in her last year at Melior Community College in Scunthorpe.

She has exams at the moment, but she is only able to attend school once or twice a month – the rest of the time she is home schooled.

WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP TO DONATE BLOOD

Brigg

Wednesday, January 16 at the Ancholme Leisure Centre on Scawby Road. 1.45pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7.15pm.

Scunthorpe

Friday, January 25 at The Pods on Ashby Road. 1.15pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7.15pm.

Scunthorpe

Wednesday, January 30 at the Wortley House Hotel on Rowland Road. 1.15pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7.15pm.

Broughton

Friday, February 1 at Broughton Village Hall on High Street. 1.45pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7.15pm.

Scunthorpe

Thursday, February 14 at The Royal Hotel on Doncaster Road. 1.15pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7.15pm.

Scunthorpe

Friday, February 15 at Scunthorpe General Hospital.

10am to 1pm and 2pm to 3.30pm.

People wishing to attend any of these sessions can sign up at www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 1232323. Time-tabled slots can be booked online or people can turn up, although a time will not be guaranteed and they may have to wait.