Patient & Donor Meeting

When Alex met Patrick

The moment a patient meets their lifesaver is always special, this is a story of when Patrick met his donor Alex for the very first time over a Zoom call.

10/02/2022

Regional News programme, ITV News Granada Reports captured the moment when DKMS donor Alex, from the UK, met Patrick from Boston, US, the recipient of his stem cells.

In an emotional exchange, Patrick told Alex: "I had trouble sleeping last night, I was so excited to meet you. I find myself getting a little emotional. I keep thinking Alex, what if you didn't do it? I'm so grateful. I thank you, we're joined at the hip now. But you're like my brother, you saved my life and I love you."

Since the story was featured, over 2,000 people have registered.

Alex registered because his friend Pete McCleave, @10000donors, who has been seeking a match since 2018. Pete has helped to register 89,539 stem cell donors, 17 of which, have been identified as matches and have gone on to donate, Alex being one of them.

Read more and watch the video

Pete's story

Pete McCleave looking into camera

Peter McCleave is 41 years old, husband to Jenny and dad to two boys: Max, 9 and Seb, 6. Pete is an Ironman tri-athlete, rugby coach and fan of savoury snacks.

Pete has been given seven years to live, having been diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer, Myeloma.

"Myeloma has left my immune system compromised. Stem cells can be used to fix this. Mine don’t work, but yours might. I need someone who is a genetic match to donate some of his or her stem cells, which can be transplanted into my blood.

"I started campaigning in 2018 to get 10,000 people, like you, signed up as potential life savers. Such has been the success of 10,000 Donors, the new target is now 100,000."

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