Tom Lewis, a 22-year-old student from Wirral, has met the stranger whose stem cell donation saved his life – more than two years after receiving his transplant. The pair now plan to run a marathon together.
Tom was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, while studying for his A-levels in 2021, after months of exhaustion and severe night sweats. The teenager initially put his symptoms down to tiredness, but became concerned when a large lump appeared on his neck while he was training in martial arts. His mum, a practising nurse, urged him to seek medical help. Within weeks, Tom and his family were told he had blood cancer.
Diagnosis and treatment
Tom said: “Once I told my mum, things escalated pretty quickly. I had to stay in hospital overnight on my own while they did some tests and treated me for a severe infection. I was terrified. I’d never been poorly before and I realised how serious this was.”
Tom began treatment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, expecting he might need around six months of treatment before returning to normal life. But chemotherapy proved difficult and further treatment was eventually needed. He continued to carry on with his studies while undergoing treatment, with support from his family, friends and teachers, and managed to complete his A-levels.
Tom said: “Going back to school and completing my exams was hard. Thankfully, my mates and teachers got me through, and I managed to finish my A-levels.”
Meeting the donor
In April 2023, Tom was admitted to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool to begin the process of a stem cell transplant after tests showed other treatments were not working effectively. The following month, he received a transplant from a male donor in his 30s from the UK.
Tom had always hoped he would one day meet the person whose donation had given him a chance of a future. He said: “I was really emotional receiving the transplant. For someone to have given a part of themselves to save a stranger’s life is incredible. I knew from the moment I heard I was getting a transplant that I would one day want to meet my donor.”
That donor was Steve Kemp, from Nottingham. For more than two years, Tom and Steve exchanged anonymous letters, with contact coordinated through The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and stem cell charity Anthony Nolan. Once the mandatory two-year period had passed, they were able to speak on the phone before finally meeting face-to-face.
Tom said: “I just gave him a massive hug when we met. It was really surreal and great to meet him after all he’s done for me.”
Running the Amsterdam Marathon
The meeting marked the beginning of a friendship, with the pair discovering they shared a love of fitness. Tom took up running to rebuild his strength after treatment, despite never having been a keen runner before. Now, the two men are taking on the challenge of running the Amsterdam Marathon in October while raising money for Anthony Nolan.
Tom said: “When I mentioned this to Steve, we had a chat and decided to run a marathon together. I can’t wait to run alongside him at the Amsterdam Marathon in October. We’ll be raising money for Anthony Nolan – the charity that helped bring us together.”
Tom is now studying for a degree at Liverpool John Moores University and working part-time. He has also set up LJMU Marrow, a university society which raises money and helps recruit new stem cell donors, particularly among young people.
Reflecting on his experience, Tom said his family and the staff at Clatterbridge helped him through some of the darkest moments of his illness. He said: “My advice to anyone in my situation is to try and keep a sense of who you are. My family and the staff at Clatterbridge helped keep me sane and supported me through the worst moments. Now life is back on track, I’m working, studying and have met my girlfriend, Freja. I’m proof that with the right care and the right support, you can get through some of the hardest times.”
Dr Muhammad Saif, director of stem cell transplant at Clatterbridge, treated Tom during his illness. He said: “As a transplant physician, this is a dream come true. When we do transplants there are lots of complications – we never know what the outcome will be. But seeing a patient getting back to normality and doing great things in their life really keeps us going.”
