Milkshakes for Marleigh

Australian Winter Olympian, Curler Dean Hewitt spoke to the Milkshakes for Marleigh Podcast in early 2022. Todays ep is a throwback to this interview. Dean thanks blood donors for ensuring that blood was available for this Grandfather in Canada when he needed it and for his coach in Australia, Ian (IceNut) Pellagio when he was battling blood cancer. Dean volunteers for the Starlight Foundation and...

In this episode, Natasha Price shares her story of chronic illness, pain and disability and how one crazy big dream (with the help of Australian blood donors) shifted her from years of being bed bound as a quadriplegic to pushing a wheelchair marathon in a year. She is currently preparing to travel to the USA to represent Australia at the World Adaptive Crossfit Games, San Antonio, Texas in S...

In this episode we revisit the Milkshakes for Marleigh episode with Australian Paralympic Equestrian rider, Emma Booth. Emma Booth made history at the Toyko 2020, when she and her horse Zidane became the first Australian horse and rider combination to compete at two consecutive Paralympic Games.   Emma was always destined for life in the saddle. From winning a pony through a competition...

Bec Jones is helping to change the landscape for para-athletes, women in sport and football in Australia. Thanks to Australian blood and plasma donors, Bec is having effective treatment for her Autoimmune Encephalitis and as a member of the Australian ParaMatlida’s Football squad, she is showcasing the way that women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or stroke can dominate on th...

Michael Klim is best known for his iconic swimming career and he will always be an gold medal winning olympic champion! These days you are most likely to see him featured n his role as a blood donation advocate and ambassador for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. On this snapshot episode we revisit Klimmy's November 2022 episode of the Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast. Thanks to the team at The Impef...

On the first season of the Milkshakes for Marleigh podcast, Brenden Hall thanked the Australian blood donors who saved his life when, at age 6, he had complications from Chicken Pox that resulted significant hearing loss and his leg being amputated. Kate Fisher recorded this interview with Brenden in late 2022 and he reflected on his disapointment about his Tokyo 2020(1) Paralympics, the realities...

On Christmas Day 2023, Kathryn Stary spent the day celebrating with sons Max and William. She is one of thousands of Australians who have been gifted this time with their loved ones thanks to Australian blood donors. William lives with Common Variable Immunodeficiency and will dependent on blood donors for regular immunoglobulin infusions for life.  In the final episode of Season Three of The Milk...

Melissa Clode shares how her 8-year-old son Charlie, is not defined by his heart. He has DiGeorge Syndrome which has caused a heart defect, developmental delays and seizures. Through 3 open heart surgeries, over 130 hospital admissions in 8 years, 3 strokes and countless seizures, Australian blood & organ donors have kept Charlie alive.  The most important part about Charlie's heart is how muc...

~This episode is dedicated to Francesca Pastega. We promise to always say her name.~ Ian and Lyndsay Pastega have had to navigate the most extraordinary challenges to create their family. Through alloimmunisation in pregnancy (requiring their babies to have multiple blood transfusions before they were even born), premature birth, neonatal death and pregnancy after loss.  Lynds, Elda (9) and Charli...

Molly Dawson tells her story for all the people who have not survived their cancer journey.  With the help of Australian blood donors she overcame Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of 18 and has now dedicated aged her life to volunteer work and advocacy to support others in their cancer journey.  This episode is full of joy and post traumatic growth alongside an honest reflection of what it's like to l...

Anj Middlestant, better known as This Strong Mum, shares the incredible story of her daughter Missy, who will be forever 13, to thank blood donors and encourage new ones.  Anj celebrates Missy's life and honours her legacy through the Missy's Donors Lifeblood team and her phenomenal blood donation advocacy work, encouraging others to ' save the lives of people we will never know and faces we will...

Alba is the baby who humanised war for so many Australians. She is the Australian baby born 11 weeks prematurely, days before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2021, fighting for her life in the middle of a war zone.  Alba's Mum, Jess details how donors from all over the world needed to donate blood to keep Alba alive. First in Ukraine and then in London.  This is an episode of two Mums marvelling about o...

Kate Fisher chats to 91.9 HOT FM about her quest to end persistent critical blood shortages in Australia through her blood donation advocacy work and The Milkshakes for Marleigh Podcast. She explains why her daughter Marleigh will be dependant on blood products for life to treat Autoimmune Encephalitis.  To learn more: www.milkshakesformarleigh.org To join The Milkshakes for Marleigh Lifeblood Tea...

Kellie Finlayson was just 25 and a first time Mum to a 3 month old baby girl when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Kellie is a model, marathon runner & brand ambassador. Her husband is AFL star Jeremy Finlayson and together they are navigating her battle against Stage 4, colorectal cancer while raising their little girl, Sophia.  In this episode Kellie courageously and candidly share t...

Former My Kitchen Rules contestants, Carly and Tresne are on a mission to increase blood donations in Australia. They thank the blood donors who gifted them more time with their precious baby girl, Poppy Grace as she battled childhood Leukaemia.  Poppy Grace passed away in February 2023, just a few months before her second birthday. Her Mummas are now working with the Children's Cancer Institute t...

An update on Marleigh's health and rehabilitation progress as she recovers from Autoimmune Encephalitis.  This is a great episode if you are new to The Milkshakes for Marleigh Podcast and community and would like an overview of Marleigh story and why she will be dependent on Australian blood donors for the rest of her life.  Please play your part in blood donation advocacy by voting for Milkshakes...

Jess is a Blood Donor and Exercise Physiologist with a passion for inclusivity for people with visible and invisible disabilities. Elana is a Physiotherapist who has a brother whose life was saved by Australian blood donors and now lives with a disability.  They have combined their lived experiences and professional experience, working side-by-side in a Rehabilitation Unit in a hospital, to be co-...

Siobhan is a blood product recipient and picture of post traumatic growth. She is an ex-27 week preemie, born more than 3 months early and recipient of many, many blood products. She joins me today with her mum, Fiona who is also a blood product recipient, having needed a transfusion following a the birth of Siobhan's older sister. Siobhan has founded Our Pixie Friends and is on a mission to make...

On 11 June 2023, a bus transferring wedding guests from Lovedale to Singleton, in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, overturned leaving 10 passengers dead and another 25 in hospital.  As the local community and its surrounds come to terms with the unspeakable tragedy, local AFL clubs are rallying to recruit blood donors to ensure there is enough blood to treat the injuries, infections and burns of...

Artist, Summer Daniels is the Creative Director and Founder of Little Rae Prints where she adds a little magic to childrens spaces all over the world. She overcame an acute infection as a teenage with the support of a blood transfusion but was left suffering from infertility.  Summer has overcome illness, infertility and the heart break of pregnancy loss to create her little family. In this episod...

Whether you recognise him as an actor (having played iconic roles as Evan Wilde in The Secret life of Us and as Molly Meldrum ), a philanthropist, the unicycling brother of Connie or epic cancer vanquishing advocate, everyone seems to agree that Samuel Johnson is one of Australia's most loved Aussie icons.  Like Marleigh, Samuel Johnson has a brain injury and has needed blood products. He was hit...

Mateoh Eggleton is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child,  born into the story of his family, culture, and Country. He carries with him the songlines of his ancestors and culture, passed down by generations. His Dreaming is part of  history, while his future is his own to shape.  In todays episode, we ask for your help to give Mateoh a future.  Mateoh is just 6 years old and has recieved...

~In memory of baby Alexander Bond ~ Chris Bond is the Captain of The Australian Wheelchair Rugby Team who have freshly been crowned World Champions. He is also a 2 time Paralympic Gold Medalist.  Chris shares his remarkable story of survival. He's a quadruple amputee from a sepsis infection, has survived the blood cancer Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia through chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant...

Cherie Canning is a lifesaver. She donates blood to save the lives of other Australians because Australian blood and breastmilk donors saved the life of her daughter, Chloe.  Born at 25 weeks, 101 days early and weighing 0.73kg, tiny Chloe was prescribed platelet transfusions and breastmilk to support her survival. At the end of this month Chloe will turn 6. She is singing and dancing her way thro...

Rebecca Ind is a blood donor and a blood product recipient. After recurrent pregnancy loss she used Anti-D Immunoglobulin to help her sustain a pregnancy and create her family. She thanks blood donors for this incredible gift.  Rebecca is also an incredible blood donor and earlier this year she celebrated her 200th donation. Bec also works for Lifeblood and she joins me to answer the many question...