Without access to eltrombopag, Gellein continues to take other medications and suffer from side-effects of anxiety, depression, weakness, nausea and dizziness. She is admitted to hospital several times each year for emergency treatment, which is common for patients with uncontrolled ITP.
She wants people to know the ripple effect it has caused on those around her, and desperately wants her life back.
"My life could have been so much different with these drugs," said Gellein. "Something needs to change, if not for me, for the hundreds of young people being diagnosed with ITP in Canada every year."
- By Dr. Meera Dalal for CBC News. Photo courtesy of Chrystal Gellein.