A woman given just three weeks to live as a child is now helping others find hope through medical research.
Elizabeth McQuillan, founder of Flamingo Business and the Flamingo Business Awards, was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia at the age of 11 after collapsing during a stage school performance.
Aplastic anaemia is a rare condition in which the bone marrow stops producing enough blood cells.
Ms McQuillan, from Poulton-Le-Fylde, said: "My sister gave me the chance to grow up, become a mother and build a life I love.
"I will never forget how fortunate I was that she was a match.
"For people who cannot have a transplant, the search for new treatments is deeply personal.
"I want to use my voice to help fund that research and give more families hope for the future."
With only weeks to live, she was unable to wait for a donor match from the register.
Instead, her sister was found to be a match and donated bone marrow, saving Elizabeth’s life.
After months in hospital isolation and a year recovering, she has gone on to become a mother of two and a successful entrepreneur.
Ms McQuillan is now an ambassador for The Aplastic Anaemia Trust, supporting research into alternative treatments for patients who are not eligible for transplants.
The Trust, in partnership with LifeArc, is backing the TIARA trial led by King’s College Hospital and King’s College London.
The trial is exploring whether regulatory T cells (Tregs) from a patient can be collected, grown in a lab, and then re-infused to help stop the immune system from attacking the bone marrow.
Early results are promising, with some patients experiencing time without needing blood transfusions.
The research is still in its early stages, and additional funding and trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
Stem cell transplants can cure some patients, but not all patients have a suitable donor.
The Aplastic Anaemia Trust will be featured at the Flamingo Business Awards in Blackpool on November 26 to help launch a regional and national fundraising campaign.
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Ellie Dawes, deputy chief executive and head of fundraising and communications at the Trust, said: "Aplastic anaemia is a rare and serious bone marrow failure that transforms the lives of families unlucky enough to receive a diagnosis.
"Thanks to research funded by our community’s incredible fundraising, treatment has improved significantly – even in the twenty years since Elizabeth was diagnosed.
"We are so excited to work with Elizabeth to raise funds and secure the future of aplastic anaemia research in the UK."
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