This story is a first-person account, contributed by a member of our wonderful community – all words are their own.

I relapsed for the second time on Thursday, 25 June 2020.

It was at my one-year bone marrow biopsy that they saw the rise in the leukaemia cells. We did another biopsy two weeks later and the worst was confirmed – my blood cancer, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was back.  

They had tried their best, even topping me up with more donor stem cells…but my body wouldn’t allow it.  

It was back to Canberra for the third time for yet more chemotherapy. I would also need another stem cell transplant. 

Even though I had donor matches in the UK, the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a lot of logistical issues when it came to harvesting and transplanting cells from overseas. 

This time, my medical team decided to look closer to home and try a haploidentical stem cell transplant. 

This is a ‘half-matched’ transplant, which means a parent or child can be your donor. My 19-year-old daughter, Alycia, was a perfect half match and she said yes to being my donor! 

I got through chemotherapy with very few issues and was out in 23 days. I then spent five weeks at home with my family preparing for transplant number two back in Sydney 

Again, the Leukaemia Foundation came to our rescue with free accommodation right across the street from the hospital.

My first born, my donor, my hero

Even after Alycia said yes, I had second thoughts. What if it doesn’t go well and something happens? She would never forgive herself. 

I know she is an adult, but she’s still my baby. 

She didn’t hesitate to say yes, but I still had feelings of guilt asking her to go through with it.   

We had a complicated relationship, especially in her teen years, but now we have come full circle. Blood cancer brought us back together.   

My mum said to me, “It’s really funny, at one-point you guys were wanting to kill each other, the next minute she’s saving your life.” 

The juggling act

The second transplant was a whole different kettle of fish to the first. While I wasn’t in as much pain, I was on different medications, that do different things and cause different issues.  

At one point, I was needing blood transfusions every single day and if it wasn’t my liver going wrong, it was my kidneys. 

If it wasn’t that, it was my central or intravenous lines giving me trouble. My body just doesn’t like them, and they caused clotting a number of times in my jugular artery or arm.  

I was in hospital for just under six weeks and it was a constant juggling act to keep me out of serious trouble.  

Confinement and COVID-19

During my second transplant the COVID-19 pandemic still had a hold of the world. 

I presented to the hospital with rhinovirus so was confined to my room, or my four-by-four cell as I liked to call it! 

I was only allowed two visitors while I was in hospital. I only saw my partner, Trevor, or mum the whole six weeks I was there.

Being a mum with a five-year-old daughter makes it extra hard as they are little petri dishes for germs and weren’t allowed on the ward.  

I got cabin fever and was scratching at the walls to get out. I was dying to see my baby. 

The minute I walked out of the ward I ran to my daughter, Haylee, fell on the ground, crying and cuddling her.  

I was finally free and this time, it seemed the treatment has worked. 

This is part three of the four-part series, ‘Rowena’s journey: Real and raw’. In her own words, Rowena McLean shares her harrowing four-and-a-half-year blood cancer journey in the lead up to World Blood Cancer Day, 28 May 2021.

Click here to read ‘Part One: Boxing Day, bloody noses and bust appendix’

Click here to read ‘Part Two: Needing some magic from ‘Mr Potter’’

Click here to read ‘Part Four: Fight for the ones you love and yourself’

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