You would be hard pressed to find another 17 year old who can underline the importance of donating blood to the same degree as Jaimey Hamilton.
A Grade 12 student at Royal Bay secondary, Hamilton has had more than 30 transfusions, beginning at the age of five. The three-time cancer survivor underwent her first round of chemotherapy and radiation treatment at that age for leukemia ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and required more treatments when she was nine. When those efforts failed to quell the cancer, Hamilton had a bone marrow transplant at 12.
B次元官网网址淎ug. 23 will be five years since the transplant,B次元官网网址� she said, reeling off a date as familiar to her as her birthday. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the longest IB次元官网网址檝e been cancer free. Each year is another milestone. ItB次元官网网址檚 given me the perspective to totally make the most of every day.B次元官网网址�
Hamilton has done just that and fills her her time playing hockey and baseball when sheB次元官网网址檚 not playing guitar or writing songs. B次元官网网址淭he cancer happened at such a young age thatB次元官网网址檚 itB次元官网网址檚 all IB次元官网网址檝e ever known,B次元官网网址� she noted in a straightforward, matter-of-fact way. B次元官网网址淣ow that IB次元官网网址檓 older, I want to do everything I can to take advantage of my good health.B次元官网网址�
That included helping out at a blood donor clinic at her school on Monday, part of a grad class event organized by teacher Colin Scott-Moncrieff. ItB次元官网网址檚 the fifth year a blood donor clinic has been included as part of graduation activities, and the first time it has been held onsite. There were 54 donations, with some help from the community, Scott-Moncrieff said.
He added that although Hamilton is unable to donate, she was eager to help out any way she could.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a great kid,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗opefully the majority of these kids will realize that it feels good to donate and continue to do so in the future after they graduate and move on with their lives.B次元官网网址�
Hamilton was compelled to get involved, she said, because she knows firsthand how important it is to donate blood. B次元官网网址淚 know personally what a huge difference a single transfusion can make,B次元官网网址� she explained. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always such a need in the community, so itB次元官网网址檚 amazing to see so many students volunteer to donate.
Kayla Williams, HamiltonB次元官网网址檚 best friend and a first-time donor, was inspired by what Hamilton has been through.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping to encourage everyone I know to do it,B次元官网网址� Williams said, pointing out that B.C. has the lowest rate of donors per capita at three per cent, one per cent below the national average. B次元官网网址淲e want to change that at Royal Bay,B次元官网网址� she said.
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
