Unstoppable Testimonies

Hello! I’m Pilar, I’m 32. A month after I married Thomas, the love of my life, in 2019, I was diagnosed with acute leukaemia. We had just returned from our honeymoon.

During the five weeks I was in isolation, the physical changes were constant and, although I felt a lot of sadness after the initial shock, I tried remain positive. My husband was always by my side.

From the beginning, the doctors told us that I would need a bone marrow transplant and thank God my only sister, my little sister, is identical to me and she was able to be my lifeline. It was the first time we finally cried for joy.

During the 5 weeks of isolation my family was at my side and that meant the world to me. They have always been there for me through this difficult time. I also had some close friends visiting me and that helped me to take my mind of the situation. I am very lucky to have so many good people around me. During my stay in hospital I started to paint mandalas and I found it quite relaxing, both in the hospital and at home. It is a hobby that I had forgotten about due to lack of time.

Coming home was very strange because everything is in its place but your life has changed and my days had nothing to do with what they used to be. Instead of going to work, you go to the day hospital. Going out on the street isn’t as exiting as it used to be. Little by little you get used to it and, again thanks to family and friends, the days become more bearable. Thanks to them, I never lost my smile and my will to fight. Thanks also to the haematology team at the Hospital la Paz in Madrid, which is impressive. From the beginning we were treated with great affection by the whole team, doctors, nurses, assistants, cleaning ladies and the volunteers of the AECC (special thanks to Javier).