MPN Voice is a charity helping support patients diagnosed with myeolproliferative neoplasms, a rare type of blood cancer which currently has no cure. They also fund research into these MPNs.

Jasmine's Story: In December 2021, upon a random blood test the doctors discovered I had an abnormally high platelet count. Over the next year I began to experience progressively worse headaches, fatigue and my ability to be active seriously decreased. But it wasn't until December 2022 that I was officially diagnosed with a myeloproliferative neoplasm called essential thrombocythemia. 

For a while I tried to carry on as normal, blocking out all the hospital appointments, with the hope my MPN wouldn't really affect me at least not for the next few years. But having conversations with loved ones involving the word "cancer" and "incurable" is of course difficult and come the new year my rising platelet count and worsening symptoms made everything scary and stressful. With less than 1 in every 100,000 people diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia and only a small percentage of those being young people, trying to understand the reality of what my life was going to look like was difficult.

MPN Voice were extremely helpful throughout this period. Through them I not only found a network of other MPN patients but also got to hear the stories of people with similar backgrounds to me. Over the last couple months I also had the opportunity, through my medical degree, to look into current MPN research which has highlighted to me the importance and need for funding such work. 

Despite my MPN I am living happily and fully and am so grateful for the support of MPN Voice.

Over the last year the fluctuations of my health made activity extremely difficult and I all but gave up on exercising but I have recently been able to be active again and friends like Franceska have inspired me to push myself to do things I previously haven't been able to do before. I have never made it over a 5k but with Franceska we are determined to complete our first half marathon and raise money for this wonderful charity.

Thank you for your support. 

-Jasmine & Franceska