A mum who begged for a stranger to help save her life a year ago has revealed she is cancer free and in full remission.
Sharon McCloskey, 43, from Lagmore , Belfast, was told her only chance of survival depended on finding a rare stem cell donor after a shock diagnosis.
And yesterday, after months of gruelling cancer therapy and a successful transplant in Dublin, she told her friends and family: “I have some good news.”
Just over a year ago, the mum of three thought she was just worn out by a recent chest infection or over-tired from her new job as a chef at Stranmillis College .
But two days later she was thrown into a life-and-death fight with leukaemia.
Sharon said: “I went from running around busy all the time, looking after the family, working hard to literally being stopped in my tracks by this awful cancer. I couldn’t believe it.”
She started gruelling chemotherapy but was told the devastating news the cancer would return without a stem cell transplant.
Sharon’s friends set up a campaign to get as many people as possible to sign up to become a donor.
Incredibly, she found the match that has saved her life thanks to a stranger undertaking a swab.
And yesterday in a message to her WhatsApp support group, Sharon wrote: “I’ve only gone and beaten cancer.
“I’m in full remission, I’ve killed off the markers.
“I’m shaking writing this now. I was told I’d never been in remission if the markers were still there. But with my donor and all the prayers and support, I’ve done it. All the prayers worked.
“I would encourage anyone and everyone to apply to the stem cell donor charities and sign up to get swabbed
and become a potential life saver.”
You can find out more at anthonynolan.org and dkms.org.uk.
