Alba the Brave

26/10/2026

Alba has been out of the hospital for five days now, and is finally starting to feel like she can do a tiny bit more than just lie in bed. We have explored the lovely garden here for a few minutes, and we are enjoying the wildlife!

She had a very rough few days with graft vs host hand, face, and feet rash, that can get painful (especially at night, which means we've had many sleepless nights 😖), and the nausea and appetite is still a big issue... but she'll get there. One foot in front of the other! She's just so happy to not be stuck in a hospital room attached to an IV line.

We are very much missing everyone back home and counting down the days until she can get back to Mossel Bay 🧡💛

16/10/2026

So a bit of light on the horizon 🥰

Alba's white blood cells count went from 0.0 to 0.1! To any normal person, this doesn't mean much, but to us, it's a sign that the stem cells are beginning their engraftment.

We don't know how quickly her counts will rise, however, in the wise words of Yazz, the only way is up. Those who remember that classic can thank me later for it getting stuck in your head 😉

Alba and I have really been enjoying music today and she's got a playlist going while I work. She's even bursting into song for her favourites 🧡🎶

15/10/2026

Alba is officially on Day 13, and we are holding onto hope for engraftment! 🧡

She is currently receiving her fourth bag of lifesaving donated blood. This time she is getting red blood cells to help boost her hemoglobin levels.

It hasn’t been an easy path, and Alba had a really rough evening with severe nausea and stomach issues, but she woke up looking a little brighter this morning after some good sleep.

Right now, things are a bit of an up-and-down rollercoaster. She has developed a rash and is feeling extra exhausted. Her amazing medical team is being incredibly vigilant and just sent off another blood test to check on her.

Because this is a haplo transplant, engraftment can take a few days longer than a standard match. We are praying this new rash is just a sign of her body working hard to accept the new stem cells.

Please keep your fingers crossed and send all your prayers and positive thoughts our way🤞🙏 We are watching closely for her white blood cell counts to rise, which is the very first sign of successful engraftment.

Thank you all for the love and support 💛

07/10/2026

A massive thank you to Alexander’s Wish and The Spring Cake Fair for all their amazing efforts for Alba. What an absolutely delicious success! We are truly honoured that you did this for her.

Alba is facing a rough time following her stem cell transplant, but she is an amazing and strong little girl who is facing it all head on. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event, whether through baking or buying some of the beautiful treats available 🥰❤️

To our wonderful community; bakers, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who came along, bought cake or helped spread the word THANK YOU. Every cake donated, every slice bought and every helping hand contributed to this gift!

We look forward to bringing you the Spring Cake Fair again next year!

02/10/2026

🧡 HAPPY REBIRTHDAY, ALBA! 🧡

Make sure you add today's date to your calendar. Our amazing lass has TWO birthdays to celebrate now! 🥳

Today is stem cell transplant day. The start of a new chapter and another enormous step towards kicking leukaemia’s arse for good.

For those worried that we never found a 10/10 donor, Alba is having a half-match (haploidentical) transplant using a her dad's stem cells. These are now an established treatment option, with many patients successfully transplanted without a fully matched donor.

There are still hurdles ahead, but today we celebrate hope, science, miracles, and Alba's chance of a new beginning.

Happy Rebirthday, my brave girl. Here’s to a lifetime of ocean adventures, manga, mischief, and dare I say it... reptilian pets 😱. We love you so so much, and in the words of Mitsuri Kanroji... "Love is the strongest sword of all!" 🧡💛🥹

📷 Alba's new stem cells!

01/10/2026

It's harvesting day!

Best of luck to Alba's dad, Raoul, who is the donor, and hopefully he is harvested of the very best stem cells that Alba will be transplanted with tomorrow 🙏

22/09/2026

22/09/2026

🧡 WORLD MARROW DONOR DAY 🧡

Alba never found her 10/10 donor. After weeks of searching international registries, her dad will be her donor as the closest available match, and her transplant is scheduled for 2nd October.

But not every child gets that option. Thousands of people around the world are still waiting for a stem cell donor. For many, there is no parent or family member as a backup. Their best hope is finding a stranger who has registered and is willing.

It takes a cheek swab to join the register. It could take just one person to save a life.

This World Marrow Donor Day, please register.
You could be someone’s 10/10.