Tania Murphy’s best chance of a match is with someone who has similar ethnic heritage. Her father is Croatian (Balkan) and her mother is of English/Irish heritage.

Tania’s world was turned upside down in July when the 44-year-old was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which cannot be defeated by chemotherapy alone. 

As she has not matched with the millions of possible donors registered worldwide, she will undergo her fourth round of chemo this week.

Friends and family are using social media to urge anyone aged 18 to 45 with similar heritage to be blood tested for the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, or anywhere worldwide.

Twenty per cent of people in Tania’s situation do not find a match, but Chris and Tania are focused on celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary in a year’s time.

If you are aged between 18 and 45, in good health and prepared to donate for anyone in the world, you can phone the Australian Red Cross Blood Service on 13 14 95 to make an appointment to donate blood and join the registry.

The last four months have been a whirlwind for Tania, husband Chris and their two kids Tayla, 7, and Kalan, 4.

A the start of July Tania was diagnosed with AML – a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

After her first two rounds of chemo Tania should have received a bone marrow transplant to replace her cancerous cells. But with no matching donor, she underwent a third round of chemo in October.

The push for donors to register is urgent as the donor match blood testing process can take about six weeks. Tania’s friends have launched the Facebook page Find Tan A Donor.

Meeting the Murphy family at their Middleton home, well-known for Chris’ blacksmith sculpture business Blue Temper Ironworks, a bandanna is the only giveaway clue that mum Tania is unwell.

Chris said he was in awe of his wife’s spirit.

“I’ve seen the amazing strength and positivity that she puts into everything she does and that’s certainly the way she’s approached this journey - an unwavering positive focus on where she wants to be,” Chris said.

“The community has been incredible, friends have helped with school pick ups, drop offs, and meals.”

Tania said her family was a huge inspiration during chemotherapy.

“I just want to be a grandmother and see them go through everything in life, they mean everything to me – I want to be there for them always,” Tania said.

“It’s not what you’re expecting when you’re 44, healthy and have a young family.”

Tania believes her healthy lifestyle was a key to her “powering through” chemotherapy.

“I did yoga while I was in hospital, it was huge help getting through the chemotherapy. This is what I needed to do to be healed - I didn’t take it personally, it’s just what I had to do.

“My life depends on it.”

Joining the bone marrow registry involves a blood test through the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. In Australia, only one in 1500 potential donors will be asked to donate bone marrow in any year. You need to be prepared to donate anonymously to any patient anywhere in the world.

You won’t be contacted unless you are identified as a potential match, and you are able to withdraw at any time.

When donating, marrow is collected under general anaesthetic. The marrow is extracted from the pelvic bone cavity using a needle and syringe.

Normal bone marrow will re-grow rapidly, and patients can resume normal activities after two or three days.

For more information visit the Red Cross Blood Service page on bone marrow donation, and the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Phone the Red Cross on 13 14 95 to make an appointment.

Tania thought she was just another tired mum, overwhelmed with the busy lifestyle of looking after her two children, who go to Encounter Lutheran College at Victor Harbor.

“I thought it was just being busy with the kids – all the other mums at school are really tired too, it’s just how you are,” Tania said.

“We went to Bali in May and I said before then to my husband that I was feeling really unwell, really tired. I had bruises as well.

“I was feeling okay when I got back from Bali, but then I started feeling really bad and Chris said ‘okay, you need to get a blood test’.”

She said the week she was diagnosed was a whirlwind.

“I have done amazingly well through the chemo treatment, so the kids just see me as mum still and I just have to tell them that I am going to hospital to get better,” Tania said.

Tania, who teaches yoga classes at Eat at Whalers, Encounter Bay, said yoga, healthy living and relaxation techniques were key to getting through chemotherapy.

Chris and Tania will mark their 10 year wedding anniversary in December, 2017.