I Bruise Easily | Alson.AI
alson.ai, Alson.AI, storybook ,digital storybook
When she was eight a young girl is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that fills her days with hospital visits, strict safety rules, and painful treatments. She feels isolated and labeled the poorly kid as she watches friends play while she studies at home. A wise specialist encourages her to return to school with safe indoor play and she discovers the magic of stories in the library. There she learns that she can choose her own path, realizing that limitations do not define who she is. Filled with hope and courage this inspiring tale shows readers that imagination and resilience can light the way through even the toughest challenges.
alson
This is the story of when I was eight years old, a time when the narrative of my life took a sharp, unexpected turn.
Until that moment, I had been an ordinary child, but suddenly, I was diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), a rare autoimmune disease that affects blood clotting.
It was a terrifying introduction to fragility.
Much of my childhood was spent in and out of the hospital, enduring daily blood tests and constant monitoring, a cycle that felt endless.
While other children were scraping knees and climbing trees, I was being told I couldn’t live life the same way as my friends.
The risks were simply too high.
The isolation was profound.
I was home tutored for a year because of fears I might be hurt in the playground, separating me from the social rhythms of the classroom.
The medical intervention required to keep me safe came with its own heavy price; the steroids I needed changed the way I looked, swelling my face and altering my petite frame.
Worse still were the visible markers of my condition—the large purple bruises that covered my body led to me being labelled “the poorly kid.”
I felt defined by my vulnerability.
I had to grow up quickly, navigating an adult world of prognosis and caution while my peers navigated jump ropes and hopscotch.
Then one specialist changed everything.
He was a man who looked past the charts and saw the child beneath the diagnosis.
He encouraged my parents to let me return to school and resume a normal lifestyle, though with a necessary compromise.
I would spend playtime safely indoors, perhaps just spending playtime in the library.
For me, a bookworm who found solace in the quiet magic of stories, that felt like a huge win.
It was in that library, surrounded by the towering shelves of other people's adventures, that I found my own agency.
That was the moment I realised something powerful: limitations don’t get to write your story, you do.
From the outside, looking at me now, you wouldn’t know I still live with this rare disease.
It doesn’t define me, but it has shaped me.
It’s a huge part of my story, and I truly believe it’s what made me the strong, determined person I am today.
I learned early on that visibility matters, and that how we frame our experiences can change their power over us.
I rarely take the time to focus on my own personal PR.
In truth, I much prefer telling other people’s stories rather than my own, finding satisfaction in illuminating the journeys of others.
But this is a subject incredibly close to my heart, especially because I experienced it as a child.
Recently, I spoke with the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA), an organisation close to my heart, to share my story in the hope of giving other parents reassurance and hope.
If my experience can help even one family feel less alone, then it’s worth telling.
Today, I run my own PR consultancy dedicated to helping brands, founders and businesses tell their stories with clarity and purpose.
Because everyone has a story to tell.
I simply help you discover the right way to tell it.
When PR is done properly, storytelling is at its most powerful.
I still believe in fairytales.
I just know now that the real magic is writing your own, and helping others write theirs too.
childhood illness
resilience
courage
rare blood disorder
overcoming adversity
finding hope