A Stirling Taekwon-do instructor battling leukaemia is set to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant from her brother.
Liz Rankin will undergo the procedure at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital today (Wednesday) after brother Francis was found to be a perfect match.
The mum who has been instructing at LCD Taekwon-do Stirling for 22 years was given the devastating diagnosis earlier this year.
Liz has opened up on how she hopes the “brutal treatment” will cure her of leukaemia.
And she is encouraging others to do what they can to support people with leukaemia and other conditions by donating blood, becoming a bone marrow/stem cell donor or donating funds for research and treatments.
Liz, who spent her 50th birthday in hospital earlier this year, said: “My brother Francis is my donor.
“I was lucky to get a 100 per cent match – and it is a treatment that will hopefully cure me forever of leukaemia.
“[Bone marrow/stem cell donation] is not a massively painful process and it could save a life.
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“It used to be a painful procedure and now it just isn’t. There are four days of injections then the stem cells from the bone marrow are harvested the same as giving blood over the course of the day (sometimes two).”
Liz has been bravely raising funds for Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, where she has spent most of her time being treated, as well as Leukaemia UK.
She continued: “At LCD Taekwon-do we teach our students that one of the main attributes a Taekwon-do student should have is ‘indomitable spirit’ - which just means having courage in the face of difficult circumstances.
“I am going in for a bone marrow transplant.
“It will certainly call on all my courage to get through this as it is a pretty brutal treatment.
“I decided to get some ‘Indomitable Spirit’ t-shirts printed and sell them to raise funds.
“I also did ‘fight’ t-shirts. For example, my husband David got ‘my wife’s fight is my fight’, my son Caleb got my ‘mummy’s fight is my fight’...in fact I got ones for most of the family!
“I have managed to raise £550 for the two charities and once I have recovered enough – which will likely be going into next year – I will continue my fund-raising efforts.”
“I also want to raise as much awareness for leukaemia as possible by asking people to please try to donate blood. “
She added: “Also, please become a bone marrow/stem cell donor.”
Taekwon-do is very much a family affair - and Liz credits the sport for being in the best possible shape to deal with her treatment.
She added: “Francis got his blackbelt training at the Stirling club taught by myself and my other brother Chris.
“My husband also got his blackbelt training at the Stirling club - as did his kids (my step kids) Sarah and Connor.
“I think that I have been able to bear up to the chemotherapy etc because I have had a fit and active healthy lifestyle doing Taekwon-do for nearly
30 years.
“I believe that it has made my body strong enough to take on more harsh treatment as well as cultivating a positive and indomitable spirit mind set.”
Anyone who wants to donate blood can contact the National Blood Transfusion Service for further details or to find out the nearest donation site.
For bone marrow donation, register with the Anthony Nolan Trust by visiting www.anthonynolan.org.
Anyone who would like to donate to Liz’s fundraising efforts can click here.
