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Alice Maddocks: West Yorkshire bone marrow girl's milestone
It is a milestone her family feared she would never reach.
Alice Maddocks's chances of reaching adulthood were deemed slim when she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder at just seven-years-old.
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She underwent more than 100 blood transfusions as a search for a bone marrow donor was launched.
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Her plight inspired a campaign which humbled former Prime Minster Tony Blair into taking action to improve the bone marrow register.
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Now, after celebrating her 18th birthday with family and friends at the weekend, Alice, of Hanging Heaton, is looking to the future with confidence.
Alice, who is in remission from her bone marrow disorder despite no matching donor ever being found, was last year diagnosed with a secondary bone marrow disease which leaves her feeling tired at times.
But she remains positive.
Inspired by the doctors and nurses who cared for her, Alice hopes to study medicine at university after completing her A Levels at Woodkirk High School, Tingley, Leeds.
"I feel brilliant now," she said. " I don't feel like I've missed out on anything or feel ike I'm worse off for having the disease. A lot of good has come out of it and a lot of people will be helped for a long time by the changes that have come.
"I had a lot of positive energy and a loving family around me. There's no medical explanation as to how I got better, it's a bit of a miracle really."
Alice's mother Carol harangued former Prime Minister Tony Blair on BBC's Question Time during the 2001 General Election campaign.
She was furious at the lack of Government responsibility for a British bone marrow register, which at the time was charity funded with just 5,000 potential donors found.
In the following years Mrs Maddocks campaigned for an improved register and met with Tony Blair.
Investment worth millions of pounds followed and the new Government backed register now has 40,000 names.
Mrs Maddocks, 43, who later campaigned for a new children's hospital in Leeds, said: "We are just so lucky, I remember when Alice was poorly I couldn't even think about her reaching 18 because we never thought she would live that long.
"She is so positive and really does live life to the full. She has been an absolute pleasure and hasn't caused us a minute's problem in her teenage years."
Around 50 family and friends attended Alice's birthday party including Alice's father Dean, 47, sister Chloe, 20, and six-year-old brother Logan.
Mrs Maddocks said: "What has happened with Alice has made us appreciate life. We do everything as if we are never going to do it again."
To add your name to the bone marrow or blood donor register call the NHS Blood and Transplant team on 0300 123 23 23 or go to www.nhsbt. nhs.uk/bonemarrow/.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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