Amy's Aplastic Anemia Journey

04/08/2025

Happy 4th birthday to my beautiful Amy

What a year hey… and what a miracle today is

It’s not just any birthday, it’s her crown one. 4 on the 4th. And we actually get to celebrate it with her healthy. That alone feels massive

I keep thinking back to those nights in hospital when everything felt so uncertain. That fear… what if she doesn’t make it to her 4th birthday. That thought nearly broke me. It’s a fear no parent should ever have to carry

I remember sitting on the bathroom floor at the hospital, cold and alone, just quietly crying and begging for her to be okay

And now somehow we’re here. She’s here. Smiling. Full of spark and softness and fight

We’re not just celebrating a birthday today, we’re celebrating that she made it. That we made it

Happy birthday my girl. You’re everything. You’re strong, you’re magic, and you are so so loved

Also, a very kind neighbour made her the most beautiful cake for her birthday. If anyone’s looking for something special, you can check out her stunning cakes here:
Instagram:
WhatsApp orders: 0764195368

26/07/2025

A Quick Update on Amy

I took Amy to the doctor for a check-up, she had bloods taken to check everything.

The results show she’s fighting an infection, most likely viral. She also developed sores on her tongue. Her blood counts have dropped a bit, but the doctor isn’t too concerned right now. The infection seems to be the cause. She's currently borderline on needing another blood transfusion, but for now, it's not absolutely necessary.

Each red blood transfusion, carries risks for her long-term treatment options... especially if she were to ever relapse and need a stem cell transplant. So transfusions are only given when absolutely necessary.

Amy’s now on two additional medications to help clear the infection. She’s definitely improved, but she still runs out of energy quicker than usual.

This month has tested me. Emotionally, physically… I’ve been holding space for all my kids and their needs, especially emotionally. I’ve reached the point of near-depletion at times. I’ve also been struggling with my own health and had blood tests done alongside Amy’s to try and figure out what’s going on.

But as a mother you never give up! Even if you have to crawl, you keep showing up for your children.

Thank you to everyone who’s reached out. Every message, every bit of support means more than I can say.

With all my love,
Sarah

21/07/2025

A quick update on Amy:

She has been doing remarkably well these past few weeks!
Unfortunately though in the last 24 hours she's spiked a temperature and is complaining about a lot of tummy pain as well as feeling extremely cold often. We are treating it appropriately and I'm so hoping and praying she will be well enough to enjoy her older brother Jared's 10th
birthday tomorrow!

She is fully weaned off the one lot of steroids now and her appearance and weight gain has slowly been going back to "normal" I'm grateful for this, as long term steroid use has many side effects.

She is still on her other meds (Eltrombopag and cyclosporine) it really has been a game changer.

Her blood lines have shown stability and slow improvements, it's still not in the normal range but for now her Aplastic Anemia isn't considered severe anymore! What a blessing that is!

The road ahead is still uncertain but we take each day as it comes.

Sending so much love and gratitude 🙏 😘🥰🥰🥰

08/07/2025

💛 Amy Update

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything. I’ve honestly just been taking it day by day, letting things settle before trying to find the words again.

Amy had a bit of a dip not too long ago. Her energy dropped and her blood tests confirmed it. All her cell lines were down and that familiar panic started to creep in. But then a few days later we repeated the tests and they had recovered. Still all below normal, but high enough to keep her out of hospital. Her new meds seem to be helping her platelet levels stay a bit more stable. They’re still very low, but the numbers aren’t crashing like they used to and that’s something we’re holding onto right now.

The other day it was her sister Rachel's birthday, we took them to a trampoline park. I was so grateful having all my kids together. To be able to watch her play and enjoy herself like a child should is such a beautiful privilege. All the memories we make have an even deeper impact now. I sat there thinking how it was 6 months ago...how unsure the future seemed, how terrified I was that she wouldn't go to another birthday party again or even see her own birthday which is in August. The PTSD of it all is so real for us all. I'm just currently so in awe of where we are today.

It’s still up and down. One moment she’s lying quietly with no energy, and the next she’s arguing with her siblings like her full, fiery little self again. It’s in those flashes of her that I find hope. That stubborn sparkle is still there, even if she tires quickly.

We’re keeping a close eye on everything, staying in contact with her doctor, and doing regular blood tests and checkups. It’s a lot to carry, but for now things feel a little steadier and that gives us space to breathe.

Thank you to everyone who’s checked in, prayed, or simply held us in your thoughts. I'm always so grateful 🙏

With love
Sarah

28/06/2025

16/06/2025

Amy update:

Thank you to everyone who's been praying, checking in or just thinking of us.It means so much.

In my last post I shared how Amy got suddenly so sick. She was fine one moment, playing and being her little mermaid self… and then just like that, high fever, sore tummy, completely flat. She couldn’t even lift her head. I was really worried!

We managed everything from home, speaking to her doctor often, just watching her and hoping it didn’t get worse. We did take her to the hospital for more extensive blood tests than usual just to see what's happening. Her CRP rate was incredibly high, which means she had an infection. The doctor thinks it was Gastritis and a UTI based on her symptoms.

Her other results came back and showed her bloodcell lines had actually improved! We were extremely surprised!
Even crazier — her own little body actually fought the infection off.

No emergency hospital visits. No urgent meds. Just her.
She did it. Her body did what I honestly wasn’t sure it could anymore.

She’s still weak, still not 100%, but she’s here. There’s a little bit more of her again, a light in her eyes, a bit more of her voice and playing/fighting with her little brothers, which drives us insane at times 😅

This journey’s so up and down. Some days are heavy in a way that’s hard to explain. But, there’s a little more hope. We so needed that!

Thank you again for all the love. I don’t always get to reply, but please know I carry it with me.

Love,
Sarah

09/06/2025

Prayers needed please.

In the early hours of the morning Amy had sudden stomach pain out of nowhere, and today she’s been very quiet, lethargic, and running a high temperature. We're keeping a close eye on her and doing what we can from home, while staying in touch with her doctor.

This is the nature of her disease.Even though some of her blood counts have improved recently, her immune system is still so weak, and things can change overnight. Literally 24 hours ago she was giggling in the bath pretending to be a mermaid... and today she’s hardly moved. It’s a constant rollercoaster and honestly, some days are heavier than others.

I also just want to say thank you to everyone who’s shared our updates, reached out, or sent love. I know I don’t always get to reply.Our household is loud, messy, full of life and very, very busy — but please know I see your messages, I feel them, and I’m so deeply grateful.

With love
Sarah

08/06/2025

Just a little update on how things are going with Amy ❤️

She’s still seeing her doctor every two weeks, but thankfully we managed to keep her out of hospital after the last scare. With the doctor’s advice and strong antibiotics, we were able to treat her at home, and it worked. Such a relief.

She’s now on a new medication called Eltrombopag. It’s crazy expensive each month, but we’re incredibly grateful that the upgraded medical aid is covering it. Honestly, that alone has been such a gift. Her out-of-hospital savings have already run out though, so we’re covering the rest of her meds out of pocket.

Her blood counts are still very low, but they’ve stayed somewhat stable recently. The doctor feels that the ATG treatment is slowly working, which gives us hope. Not in remission yet, but it’s a positive sign. The stem cell transplant is on hold for now while they monitor her response.

I’ve also had it on my heart for a while now to do some kind of fundraiser — to help with Amy’s ongoing needs and also to spread more awareness around Aplastic Anemia, which is still such a rare and unknown condition. I’m not exactly sure how or where to start, but it’s something I really want to move toward.

I’d love to grow Amy’s page more — to reach more people, spread more awareness, and just keep her story going. I don’t really know how to do that except to ask… if you could please share her page, I would truly appreciate it! Every share makes a difference. Every bit of support matters.

🧜‍♀️ Tonight, Amy asked to wear her swimming costume in the bath because she was pretending she was in the ocean. My little mermaid 💛

To everyone who’s walked this journey with us — through donations, love, kind messages, and prayer — thank you. You’ve carried us in ways I can’t even explain. We’re just so deeply grateful.

Love,
Sarah

24/05/2025

Hi everyone,

I wanted to give you an update on how things are going with Amy.

On Tuesday she saw the doctor again for her usual blood tests. I shared before that there had been some small improvements, and we’re so thankful for every little bit of progress. This time, her results also showed a small improvement, which felt like a bit of a win. The doctor has decided we can try spacing her visits to every two weeks now instead of every week.

But in the last 24 hours, Amy has been struggling with stomach pain that’s been getting worse, and tonight she spiked a fever. We’re not sure what’s happening, but we’re doing what we can at home for now. If there’s no improvement soon, it’s looking like another hospital admission might be around the corner. Just the mention of going back to the hospital makes her panic—there’s been lots of tears, pleading, and crying not to go. It’s so hard to see her in that emotional state, and it’s tough for all of us—her siblings, Wiekus, and me too.

I also wanted to share that we’ve had some short-paid medical aid bills coming through recently from earlier treatments, and it’s been a reminder of how quickly the costs add up. A big part of the donations we’ve received so far has helped us upgrade Amy’s medical aid plan to a higher tier, which is so important for her care. We’re really grateful for that support—it’s made a huge difference.

It’s still a long road ahead, but we’re holding onto hope and taking it one step at a time. If you feel led to help in any way, here’s the link to Amy’s fundraiser:

👉 https://gofund.me/63d10798

Thank you for all the love, prayers, and support. We honestly couldn’t do this without you.

13/05/2025

Latest update on Amy

Amy had a blood test today ,her white cell count is still really low, but it's starting to climb slowly. It’s small, but honestly, any little bit of good news feels huge right now. She also had a platelet infusion today, and she still needs blood or platelets almost every week. But today, I feel a bit more hopeful.

Sharing Amy’s story with the world has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’m usually such a private person and struggle with being misunderstood and "perceived", so letting people in like this… it’s scary. Putting her pain and our family's struggle out there has made me feel exposed in a way I can’t really explain. But I did it because I had to - for her. I also drew a lot of inspiration from other support pages of families walking their own journey with their children who are fighting life threatening diseases. It's a whole different world and one I wouldn't wish on any parent or person.
Amy deserves every chance, every bit of awareness, every person who might care enough to help.

Even though she’s been home, she’s still in the middle of a really tough battle. Severe aplastic anemia is not cancer, but it’s just as dangerous, just as hard. She relies on blood donations to stay alive.
I really wish more people knew how much of a difference blood donation makes. Aplastic Anemia doesn’t get much attention, but these kids are fighting just as hard as anyone with cancer. And they need help just as much

Since January, Amy has had 30 platelet transfusions and 10 red blood transfusions — just to keep going. That’s just for one little girl. Every time she gets a bag of blood or platelets, I’m reminded that someone, somewhere, donated that and it’s saving her life.

If you’ve ever thought about donating blood — please do it. For Amy, and for all the other kids and adults who don’t get a break from fighting.

Where to donate blood:

South Africa: https://sanbs.org.za/donor/

UK: https://www.blood.co.uk/

USA: https://www.redcrossblood.org/

I'm also just incredibly grateful for the support we’ve already received, emotionally and financially. I carry that gratitude every single day, even when things are hard. You’ve helped us feel less alone.

All my love

Sarah

05/05/2025

Same article posted on the website 🙏

Three-year-old Amy Klopper needs your assistance as she battles a rare blood disease. Three-year-old Amy Klopper needs your assistance as she battles a rare blood disease.