Phil Simpson
Phil Simpson knows better than most what a difference world-class medical care can make. Once a young patient living in sterile isolation to survive a life-threatening immune condition, today he’s thriving healthy, happy, and full of plans for the future.
Phil spent part of his teenage years in a germ-free hospital unit in Newcastle, battling a rare genetic disorder that left him vulnerable to even the mildest infections. Life before treatment meant constant worry about illness and missing out on the everyday experiences most children take for granted.
“I never really had a normal childhood,” Phil recalls. “I was always cautious about where I went and who I was around. I love football and going to matches...things I simply couldn’t do before The Bubble.”
His condition, Chronic Granulomatous Disorder (CGD), meant that part of his immune system didn’t work properly. Over time, the risk to his health increased, and Phil and his family made the difficult decision to go ahead with a bone marrow transplant, the only possible cure.
That treatment took place in Newcastle’s pioneering Children’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, also known as “The Bubble.” For a time, Phil lived in a sealed, sterile space just eight feet wide to protect him from infection while his body adjusted to the new, healthy bone marrow. It was a tough experience for a teenager, missing out on normal life while friends were out enjoying theirs.
“I just wanted to be with my mates, doing what they were doing,” Phil says. “But the staff on the ward were amazing. There were games, activities, things to help distract you. They made a hard situation bearable.”
Thanks to the dedicated team at the Bubble Unit, Phil made a full recovery. He now lives medication-free, works full-time in accounts at Durham University, and recently bought a house with his girlfriend. It’s a life that once felt out of reach, made possible by cutting-edge care, the support of his family, and the power of research.
“I owe everything to The Bubble. I was 100% cured - it still feels unbelievable,” Phil says. “Back then, the success rate for the transplant wasn’t high, and I remember just waiting for something to go wrong. But it didn’t. I got better. And I’ll never forget the care that made that possible.”
Today, Phil is a passionate advocate for The Bubble Foundation and its mission to support children with Primary Immune Deficiencies (PIDs). “We’ve come so far, but we still have work to do,” he says. “I dream of a time when all children with PIDs are diagnosed early and treated with gentler, more effective therapies- treatments that are 100% successful, 100% of the time.”
Survival rates on the Bubble Unit have risen dramatically over the years, from 50% to around 90%. This incredible progress is thanks to continued research, investment, and the compassion of those who support The Bubble Foundation.
As Phil puts it: “The Bubble gave me my life. Now it’s time to help give that gift to others.”
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