A woman who suffers from a rare type of blood cancer and was once told she might live for only a few more days has shared her story on its world awareness day.

Geraldine Hill was referred to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford in March 2020 and received a diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) after she was left feeling run down.

MDS are a rare group of blood cancers caused by failure of the bone marrow to produce enough healthy blood cells.

READ MORE: Cyclist taken to John Radcliffe after fall in Oxford High St

Ms Hill celebrated the second anniversary of a life-saving stem cell transplant in September.

She said: “The dedication of the brilliant doctors and nurses at the Churchill and beyond who show such relentless scientific rigour and human empathy is astounding.

“I can't praise them enough.

“I am also writing anonymously to thank the selfless 20-year-old Polish man who donated his stem cells via the Anthony Nolan organisation.”

Ms Hill recounted the wonderful support she received from staff at the Churchill, consultant Dr Andy Peniket and his team, and charities Macmillan and Maggie’s Oxford.

But despite this she became very ill by the end of the year and was admitted to hospital as an emergency several times and treated with strong antibiotics.

When various treatments finally got her strong enough, Ms Hill received the stem cell transplant in 2021.

Initially, it all went well.

She was discharged after five weeks, but went back to hospital in March 2022 after feeling weak and remained there for eight months with multiple, unidentified infections.

Ms Hill’s condition went from bad to worse and in June 2022, she was moved to Sobell House Hospice for palliative care where her family were told she might live for only a few more days.

But she miraculously began to recover and was moved first to a care home in Wallingford before returning back home by early November.

Ms Hill is still closely and continuously monitored by the Churchill team and needs ongoing physiotherapy to regain her strength and stamina though she continues to improve and remains ‘extremely well’.

Oxford University Hospitals says that Ms Hill's mother kindly made a donation to Oxford Hospitals Charity, as a thank you for the care her daughter received.

Ms Hill added that her mother is grateful for everything the Churchill team did for her.

She concluded: “Finally, I have also had the love, prayers and support of friends and family – it’s been truly humbling and I’m still in the process of thanking them.

“I feel now that I must do something to repay, in some way, this enormous gift I’ve been given.”

More information and sources of support can be found on the MDS UK website.