Abbie Young | The Bubble Foundation
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Abbie Young

Meet Abbie Young


From her mum's perspective 

In 2020, at the age of 16, our world changed overnight. What began as bruising and some abnormal blood tests quickly turned into a diagnosis we had never even heard of, severe aplastic anaemia and bone marrow failure.

From that moment on, life became a blur of hospital stays, procedures, and fear of the unknown. Abbie went through bone marrow biopsies, had a Hickman line inserted, and even had to make the incredibly difficult decision to preserve an ovary before treatment began, something no child should have to think about.

Then Covid arrived, making an already isolating time even harder. Strict rules on Ward 14 and later Ward 3 meant we were often separated, and she faced so much of this journey without the comfort of a normal family life around her.

Preparing for Abbie’s first transplant was one of the hardest times, made even more distressing as she was not well sedated. Due to Covid, frozen stem cells had to be used, but devastatingly, the transplant failed. We were then thrown into a race against time to find another donor. The hospital fought to get permission to use fresh stem cells for a second transplant. Thankfully, it worked, but recovery was far from easy.

There were countless blood and platelet transfusions, complications from chemotherapy, including damage to the lining of her bladder, and what felt like an endless list of medications. She went on to have treatments including eltrombopag and IVIG, and in January 2021 received a stem cell “top-up” that finally made a real difference.

She spent 18 months in isolation. Which meant Abbie missed out on so much: school, friends, and a normal teenage life. Going back was incredibly tough. Friendships had moved on, and finding her place again wasn’t easy.

Even now, there are ongoing challenges. She has a poor response to vaccinations, continues to be under specialist care, and faces fertility concerns because of everything she has been through. But alongside all of this, there has been so much kindness and care that we will never forget.

The team at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Ward 3 was simply outstanding. The doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff cared for her, and for us as a family. The nurses were incredible: compassionate, patient, and always there through the hardest moments. The doctors showed not only expertise but determination and heart. We will be forever grateful for the care she received.

And in the middle of it all, the Bubble Foundation brought light into some very dark days. The crafts, activities, and play therapists were often the highlight of her day, giving her something to look forward to. 

Despite everything Abbie has faced, she has shown strength beyond words. She worked so hard, caught up with her studies, did brilliantly in her A-levels, and achieved her dream of getting into medical school. Now, she is coming to the end of her third year at HYMS.

We are so incredibly proud of her 💛



From Abbie herself :

At the time, everything felt really daunting and uncertain. I didn’t know how unwell I would feel, or how long I would be isolated for. It was especially difficult with COVID just starting, which changed a lot of hospital policies and contributed to a lot of unknowns. I just had to remain positive. 

Looking back now, I feel incredibly proud of how positive I was during the transplant. I’ve come so far from that point in my life, and I can see now that even though it was difficult, I was stronger than I realised at the time. I’m now at university, living life in a way I couldn’t have imagined back then, and making the most of all opportunities. I wish I could have shown myself back then a glimpse of where I am now—just to reassure myself that things do get better, and that positivity goes so far.




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