Patient outcomes
It is an incredible feeling when the patient you donated to recovers with the help of your stem cells and we will be there to celebrate with you.
We will also be there to support you if the patient sadly passes away.
Everyone will react differently to this news – some donors are surprised by how much they are affected by the death of a person they do not know. It is important to remember that, with your donation, you have given a patient who is very unwell precious, valuable time. They created memories and experienced moments with their loved ones that would not have been possible without your kind act.
Some questions that often come up after hearing the patient has passed away are:
- What is the exact date and cause of the patient’s death?
- Why wasn’t another donation organised?
- Could my letter still be forwarded to their family?
- Am I now available for another patient?
- Can I know the patient’s name or more about them?
If you would like to discuss any of these questions or feel you need support during this difficult time, please contact the Follow-up Team.
Alternatively, the following organisations can offer support:
Cruse Bereavement is a charity that offers bereavement support. You can call their helpline on 0808 808 1677 to speak to one of their trained volunteers.
Mind is a mental health charity with useful bereavement resources: mind.org.uk/bereavement
Polly from Derbyshire registered as a stem cell donor after her uncle was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. She was matched with a seriously ill patient just two weeks later and agreed to donate right away. Unbeknownst to Polly, the patient waiting for her stem cells was Syd from Worthing, a self-employed plumber described by his family as a beloved character and ‘larger than life’.
Syd’s daughter, Chelsea, shares, “The years we had after dad’s transplant were so special. We made so many memories, travelled together, plus he was there for the birth of my daughter, Molly, and even celebrated her first birthday.”
Sadly, despite receiving two stem cell donations from Polly, Syd’s cancer returned, and he passed away in September 2024.
“One of the last things Dad said was, ‘Please make sure you meet her and tell her what she meant to us all’,” Chelsea recalls. The two women have since kept in touch and are forever bonded through Polly’s connection to Syd.
“Regardless of the outcome, I want to emphasise that, even though Dad is no longer here, that donation still meant the world to us because we had all that extra time together,” reflects Chelsea.
