How plasma donors made Jonathan’s life possible
Music isn’t just something Johnathan studies. It’s his life. A music student from New South Wales, he plays drums, guitar, bass, and is learning piano and violin. His dream is to master as many instruments as he can and build a career. No small feat, but when your entire existence is a miracle, learning to play a few instruments doesn’t feel like much of a challenge.
Jonathan’s older brother passed away as a baby from neonatal haemochromatosis, a rare condition that can cause severe, often fatal liver damage in newborns. His parents were advised not to have more children, but they didn’t give up. Hope appeared in the form of a doctor running human trials to prevent neonatal haemochromatosis. Nearly every week throughout her pregnancy, Jonathan’s mum visited the hospital to receive intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) a treatment made possible by plasma donors.
He thinks about that often “Because of the incredible generosity of strangers who donated their plasma, I was born healthy. Every milestone I've reached, every birthday I've celebrated, exists because someone, somewhere chose to donate. People I'll never have the chance to meet or thank, literally saved my life before I was born.”
For Jonathan, music has always been a way to disconnect and find joy. Playing puts a smile on his face every time. And being the drummer for Lifeblood’s Unlikely Version of Sia’s ‘Unstoppable’ alongside Tina Arena and Ngaiire was, in his words, a dream come true.
Jonathan knows in the deepest sense that a donation to Lifeblood made his life possible — and he hopes others will keep giving, so more stories like his can begin. If you’re able, book a blood donation. Your donation could be the reason someone else gets the chance to live the life they dream of.
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