Tania Murphy, a mother-of-two from Port Elliot, South Australia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in July 2016.
The determined 42-year-old underwent four gruelling rounds of intense chemotherapy and was then told that while she is now cancer-free, she would need a bone marrow transplant to save her life if the cancer returns.
With no eligible donors on the registry, Mrs Murphy has been looking for a lifesaving bone marrow donor ever since.
This weekend, she garnered support from the unlikeliest of places – Hollywood – after Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, re-tweeted her search, as well as the Star Trek star William Shatner and singer Boy George.
Tania Murphy, a mother-of-two from Port Elliot, South Australia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in July, 2016 (pictured with her family)
The determined mum underwent three gruelling rounds of intense chemotherapy and was then told she would need a bone marrow transplant to save her life (pictured with her partner)
This weekend, she garnered support from the unlikeliest of places – Hollywood (pictured)
One of the world’s most famous authors, J.K. Rowling, shared a tweet to her 13 million followers, encouraging people to help the mother-of-two find the donor she needs (pictured)
One of the world’s most famous authors, J.K. Rowling, shared a tweet to her 13 million followers, encouraging people to help the mother-of-two find the donor she so needs:
‘I really hope you find a match x,’ she wrote in her tweet alongside the Twitter page, which has been set up to help to ‘find Tan a donor’.
Singer, Boy George, later also tweeted out the page, as well as Star Trek actor, William Shatner, who wrote:
‘Spread this tweet as far as you can. Please go here for details & sign up at your local registry’.
Singer, Boy George, later also tweeted out the page (pictured)
Star Trek actor, William Shatner, shared his support (pictured)
There are no eligible donors on the registry and Mrs Murphy has encouraged people to sign up to the bone marrow registry in a bid to save people in a similar situation to herself
‘I am so powerless. I want people to know that going to their nearest blood bank and registering on the bone marrow registry could save my life,’ she told FEMAIL
‘I need them to go now, I want to watch my kids grow up so badly,’ the mother-of-two continued (pictured with her partner and solo)
Half Croatian (Balkan) and half English/Irish, Mrs Murphy’s best chance of a match is finding someone with the same heritage, aged between 18 and 45.
She began the search for the transplant – which would effectively replace the cancerous cells in her body – after doctors at the Royal Adelaide Hospital said their worldwide search had failed to find a matching donor.
Mrs Murphy and her husband Chris, supported by friends, then began a campaign on Facebook to find her saviour.
It is only recently that it has come to the attention of celebrities – in spite of the fact that the tale has been told in newspapers around the world.
Mrs Murphy has a mixed heritage – her father is from the Balkans and her mother’s heritage is from the British Isles… this makes finding her a match a challenge
She began the search for the transplant – which would effectively replace the cancerous cells in her body – after doctors at the Royal Adelaide Hospital said their worldwide search had failed to find a matching donor
Speaking previously to Daily Mail Australia about the importance of signing up to the bone marrow registry in a bid to save people in a similar situation to herself, Mrs Murphy said:
‘I was so shocked. All through this process I have been willing to take on the chemo and months in hospital, anything to get better for my husband and kids [Taylah, eight, and Kalan, five].
‘But now I am so powerless. I want people to know that going to their nearest blood bank and registering on the bone marrow registry could save my life.
‘I need them to go now, I want to watch my kids grow up so badly.’
Friends behind the ‘Find Tan a Donor’ Facebook page told FEMAIL that the support from J.K. Rowling has offered Mrs Murphy extra hope
Mrs Murphy has a mixed heritage – her father is from the Balkans and her mother’s heritage is from the British Isles.
This makes finding her a match a challenge as ethnicity is one of the major factors in bone marrow donor matching.
But Australia’s bone marrow donors don’t reflect the ‘ethnic diversity of the population.’
If you are between 18 and 45 years old, in good health, meet the eligibility criteria and are prepared to donate for anyone in the world, it is possible to donate
Friends behind the ‘Find Tan a Donor’ Facebook page told FEMAIL that the support from J.K. Rowling has offered Mrs Murphy extra hope:
‘It’s been encouraging and lifting from an emotional perspective,’ one friend, Jacqui, explained.
‘I also know that it’s helped Tan to feel much more positive.
‘Any exposure is good because so many people just don’t know that they can register to be a bone marrow donor and save someone’s life!’.
If you are between 18 and 45 years old, in good health, meet the eligibility criteria and are prepared to donate for anyone in the world, it is possible to donate.
Not only could finding a donor save Mrs Murphy’s life, but it will help protect all Australians who have a similar heritage
Mrs Murphy’s husband Chris said his wife is the ‘ most vivacious and happy person I have ever known, she is the heart and soul of our little family’ (pictured with one of her kids)
Not only could finding a donor save Mrs Murphy’s life, but it will help protect all Australians who have a similar heritage.
Mrs Murphy’s husband Chris said his wife is the ‘most vivacious and happy person I have ever known, she is the heart and soul of our little family.’
‘She has been so brave and positive about her treatment so far. We are really relying on people with Balkan/British Isles heritage to get on the bone marrow registry,’ he said.
‘Our kids are seven and four, they need their mum, and I need their mum too.’
For more information, visit the Facebook page Find Tan a Donor.