A father from Cheshire has described being in a 'race against time' as he urges the NHS to give him a 'second chance' by offering a second stem cell transplant to treat his aggressive blood cancer.
Diagnosis and Initial Treatment
Sean Turner, 40, from Runcorn, first noticed symptoms of chronic tiredness in February 2024, along with swollen gums. He was shocked to be diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a rare form of blood cancer with a KMT2A mutation.
In 2024, Sean, who has a two-year-old son named Jimmy with his wife Rebbecca, underwent a stem cell transplant that initially appeared successful. However, he relapsed in June 2025 and joined a clinical drug trial the following month. He went into remission in September but relapsed again in February 2026.
Current Situation
Sean has now been told the cancer has spread, with AML returning to his blood. The NHS has informed him that no further treatment is available in the UK. He believes the health service should offer a second stem cell transplant but claims it uses outdated data to deny him this option.
His family is now trying to raise £150,000 for him to receive a second transplant in Germany. Without further treatment, his condition is terminal, but Sean says a second transplant could prolong his life or even cure him.
Call for Policy Change
Sean received treatment at The Christie and previously at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Both hospitals referred inquiries to NHS England, stating it is a matter of national policy. In a previous BBC article, an NHS spokesperson said decisions about repeat stem cell transplants should be made between patient and clinician, following the latest clinical policy.
Sean believes chances have been missed. He told the ECHO: 'I was on a clinical drug trial, and when I got admitted to hospital, we found out that the trial had failed. For a second opinion, I met with another consultant, and he said he doesn't even think any more drugs will work for me. I've got to go to Germany for treatment now because the UK won't offer it. All they offer me is more drug trials.'
He added that last year, while in remission for six months, he was not offered other treatments until he spoke to a doctor in Germany, who suggested a donor lymphatic infusion (DLI). After he raised this with his UK doctors, he was offered it, but it was too late.
Desire to See Son Grow Up
Sean's main focus is being alive long enough to see Jimmy grow up. He said: 'There is evidence there that a second transplant can work. I think a lot of it is just we're on the back foot and people are a bit scared to go down that route in case it fails. It's a doctor or a consultant putting their names to that, and all they've got to go off is NHS guidelines from 12 years ago.'
He continued: 'I've got a little baby, I've got to do everything I can to be with him. I just want to watch him grow up. I feel like I'm being denied that from my own country. If there's even a 30% chance it could work, people have got to be given that.'
The NHS has previously stated its commitment to improving care and ensuring access to innovative treatments. A spokesperson said decisions should be made with clinicians and kept under review.
