Thanking NHS blood donor centre staff (and raising awareness of AA!)

Yesterday, Ellie from The Aplastic Anaemia Trust was invited to the NHS Blood Donation London West End Donor Centre, to talk at their training day. The absolute highlight was this gorgeous video which Terri (from Jensen's Story) created specially. Read more

Going out to the shops!

What it feels like to pop out to the dentist and the shops on my own for the first time in absolutely ages and ages. Read more

What a year!

2025 started off as any other year, but within a few months, everything turned upside down. As a parent, the most devastating news you can get is that your child has a life-threatening condition. You never think it will happen to you until it does. Read more

Jensen in the news: Watch us on ITV

Watch us on ITV! Read more

A video call with Santa

How Jensen's online school teacher made sure he could see Visit Father Christmas while he's in isolation! Read more

Jensen in the news: Boy who spent most of 2025 in hospital delivers gifts to children on ward

Children spending Christmas in hospital have been delivered presents thanks to a seven-year-old boy who has spent more than half of 2025 receiving treatment. Jensen Hurcombe toured the wards dropping off the gifts after having been to an appointment himself on Monday morning, the latest as he continues treatment for a serious blood disorder. Read more

Forty years - and a wedding! Cheryl lives life to the full after ATG treatment

On 25 November 1985, in Zimbabwe, Cheryl was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia and told she would not survive beyond three months. Forty years later, she's recently married, and the man who treated her, Prof Ted Gordon Smith, was there to see it. Cheryl's new husband Steve shares the story. Read more

What's in the box?

Erica and Aimee pack up a Bravery Box. But what's inside? Read more

Better Like Before - Official Video

Jimmy Eff and the Sundogs will release their single Better Like Before, commemorating bandmate Chris' daughter Erica's rocky journey through treatment for Aplastic Anaemia. They've created this gorgeous video for the song, with a little help from many other members of our online AA community! Read more

Zoe and Louise are ready to run!

An Advanced Clinical Practitioner from Leeds Teaching Hospital, Louise is celebrating 25 years of supporting people with AA and PNH by taking on the Great North Run this weekend, and Zoe, Leeds AA patient and AAT Support Team hero, will be running alongside her. They discuss their reasons for running and how they work together to support patients. Read more

“Having SDS shouldn’t hold you back, it shouldn’t define who you are."

Shwachman Diamond syndrome (SDS) is one of the rarest of the rare genetic conditions connected with aplastic anaemia. Julia, mum to eight-year-old Lara with SDS, and Cameron, who was diagnosed himself as a young adult, met with me to discuss their stories and the advice they’d want to pass on to others facing a similar diagnosis. Read more

Rare Voices podcast episode 6: How do we raise awareness of rare conditions?

This final episode looks at the lack of public awareness about rare bone marrow conditions and the challenges in getting people to understand them. We highlight the work of the collective charities to raise awareness and why it’s so important to educate people about these conditions and what it means for those living with them. Read more

Rare Voices podcast episode 5: Navigating the healthcare system

When conditions are rare, even healthcare professionals fail to recognise them. This episode discusses some of the struggles that people living with rare blood disorders can experience when trying to get medical care. How do we improve awareness of these conditions among healthcare professionals? How do we get doctors to listen to us? What specialist services are available? What do you do if you suspect you have a rare blood disorder but doctors aren’t seeing it? Read more

Rare Voices Podcast episode 4: How to find your tribe

Loneliness is rife among people living with rare blood disorders. But there’s a whole community of people out there who are willing to connect. How can you speak to friends about your condition? What can you do to combat loneliness when you’re struggling to leave the house? How are people with similar conditions finding each other? What can you do to manage your condition when you’re out? How do you recruit friends to help you if things take a turn? Read more