When Anna was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at just 41, her world turned upside down. After months of intensive chemotherapy and a brief remission, she received devastating news: she had developed therapy-related Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, a very rare and aggressive cancer. Earlier this year, Anna was admitted to Ward 7B at the Royal Melbourne Hospital for a stem cell transplant — a lifesaving but gruelling procedure that meant five weeks in isolation, away from her husband and two young sons.
“The admission was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Anna said. “But the staff were a constant support, on the good days and the dark, haunting ones too. The nurses on 7B are angels. I cannot describe the level of care I received.”
Ward 7B specialises in the treatment of blood cancers and provides highly complex, round-the-clock care. Patients like Anna endure intense treatments that take an enormous physical and emotional toll.
“It’s different to anywhere else in the hospital. You’re never left alone. It’s around-the-clock care: blood tests at midnight, knocks on the door all the time. I hated being stuck in that bed for five weeks, but the care of the staff made it bearable. They became my family. I remembered everyone’s name, I’d comment on their scrubs. I’d joke with them, ask questions, get to know them. That’s how I coped.”
From small acts of kindness to lifesaving expertise, the team on 7B went above and beyond.
“On top of the medical side, they were there emotionally too. One nurse went out of her way to buy me a banana smoothie from the café, just to make me feel a little more human. Others sat with me while I was vomiting, or bleeding, or crying. Some of them even cried with me. There was never panic. Just calm, capable care. It was quite amazing. They really are special on that ward.”
During her time on the ward, Anna was visited regularly by John from the hospital’s Music Therapy department. Together, they sang and eventually wrote a song dedicated to the nurses of 7B.
“No matter how I was feeling when John knocked, I always felt uplifted by the time he left,” Anna said. “He inspired me to do so many things. I’m now formally pursuing a venture to sing, record, fundraise, advocate, and write a book about my experience. He just knew how I was feeling and what I could manage that day, and he met me there.”
Anna is now focused on staying leukaemia-free and rebuilding her life, one day at a time. She’s proudly stepping up as a Dry July Ambassador, using her story to help raise vital funds for cancer patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, including those on Ward 7B.
“This cause means everything to me. If I can make a sacrifice, given what I’ve been through, I think anyone can.”
“I used to joke with every single nurse, whenever they asked if I needed anything, I’d say, ‘I’d like a Prosecco, please.’ But they never delivered,” she laughs. “So now I’m doing Dry July properly.”
