February 2022

The family of a Perth mum who has a blood condition so rare that she’s almost one in a million is rallying behind her – and gaining support from numerous work colleagues.

Samantha Minniti was diagnosed with the rare blood disorder Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) in 2016, an illness which sees her blood create clots in the small vessels around her body, which can then stop oxygen flowing to essential organs like her brain, kidneys and heart.

Since her diagnosis, Ms Minniti has been supported and heavily involved with West Perth-based Perth Blood Institute (PBI) which has been successful in developing testing methods for the disease, undertaking further research and initiating a global standardisation study.

And in a bid to support her, Samantha’s cousin, Chantelle Mitrevski, rallied her work colleagues at Oakfield Strata Management, also based in West Perth, earlier this month to give blood, which is set to be used by PBI for two research studies on the effects of estrogen on miscarriage and also thrombosis.

“Sammy is loved enormously by our family and when the company I work for wanted to get involved in some charitable work, I suggested PBI, knowing the great work they do and how much they have supported my cousin,” Chantelle explains.

“So seven of us from Oakfield Strata Management subsequently went to donate blood at PBI; the whole process took less than 10 minutes and we all felt really good about doing something so worthwhile that will ultimately help others.”

Consultant Haematologist Professor Ross Baker, Founding Director of PBI, says the not-for-profit organisation relies heavily on community support to work towards its goal of making blood disorders a thing of the past.

“PBI strives to advance haematological research and facilitate clinical trials for various fatal blood diseases, and we’re extremely grateful to Chantelle and the team at Oakfield for donating blood and supporting us conduct new research, which we hope will ultimately help patients like Sammy,” explains Prof Baker.

“The cutting-edge research being undertaken by Perth Blood Institute will ultimately advance haematological research into common, rare and fatal blood diseases, and our team here is working very hard on innovative breakthroughs.”

Currently, Samantha is one of only three people in every million who are diagnosed with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) every year.

“I’m so happy and appreciative that my family has chosen to assist the great work being undertaken at PBI,” Ms Minniti adds.  “Hopefully this brings about more awareness for their work and also the importance of donating blood, and perhaps more people might consider donating in the future.”

PBI is a charitable, not-for-profit, haematological research institute. Based in West Perth, the organisation undertakes research into blood related disorders, delivers blood related clinical trials and provides an education service to the community and professionals on blood conditions.

The organisation is focused on providing outstanding patient care to people diagnosed with blood conditions – including blood cancers, bleeding and clotting disorders – through an ethical and sustainable approach.

Main image: Samantha's cousin, Chantelle Mitrevski, and Stephanie Joy

ENDS

Media Contact: Ruth Gourley, Shine Communications, Mob: 0434 330 384