Ben's journey
In September 2019 Ben's battle against cancer began. After finding a lump in his neck he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma stage 2b. Suddenly, life underwent a transformation amidst the treatment cycles, including four-hour round trips and even transitioning to residing in hostels. We never imagined it could happen to us, yet, throughout the process Ben's disposition never wavered. Taking the process in his stride with a smile on his face and a positive outlook, a true hero.
Two days before the world went into lockdown, Ben got the ‘All Clear’ and in March 2020 he started recovery. This drastic life-altering event changed Ben's whole mindset and he decided to set up his own gardening business called ‘Ben's Gardens’. Ben found a love of working outdoors and a passion for running his own company.
Miserably, the wretched cough returned in April 2021 and by August Ben had relapsed. Even with all the treatments, including an autogolous stem cell transplant (using his own cells), his positive attitude stayed true.
Ben was on the road to recovery but in October 2022, like clockwork, he relapsed again. During this round of treatment, an allogeneic cell transplant was involved. Unfortunately, Ben's biological brother wasn't a suitable match, prompting the treatment team to explore the DKMS and Anthony Nolan registers. Fortunately, they managed to find a match for Ben, and in March 2023, an incredible individual generously dedicated their time and cells to save Ben's life.
Ben's recovery
A year later, Ben is making remarkable progress in his recovery, and we are now able to envision and plan our future together. It's a thrilling period for us; we recently returned from Lanzarote, have a trip to Iceland scheduled for this March, and Ben has organised a skiing adventure with friends—a long-awaited activity he couldn't enjoy for the past five years. Festivals and concerts are on the horizon, but most importantly, we're delighted to announce that we've gotten engaged!
All these dreams would not have come true if it were not for Ben’s stem cell donor superhero - perhaps that could be you! Just a few days of your life could be the lifeline for someone else, providing them the opportunity to create cherished memories, much like us.
We will be forever grateful to our unknown champion!
Join the stem cell register today!
Unfortunately, not everyone finds a stem cell match like Ben did. We are working together to increase donors on the stem cell register so that every person with cancer has the chance to receive a stem cell transplant.
If you’re aged 17-55 and in generally good health, please sign up to be a stem cell donor. You could be someone’s second chance at life.