Tom Lewis, a student who battled Hodgkin lymphoma, is preparing to run the Amsterdam Marathon alongside the stranger whose stem cell donation saved his life. The pair, who met for the first time after two years of anonymous correspondence, will run together to raise funds for the stem cell charity Anthony Nolan.
Diagnosis and Treatment at Clatterbridge
Tom was studying for his A-Levels when he began experiencing constant fatigue and severe night sweats. The Wirral student discovered a large lump on his neck during a martial arts class, which led to a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma. He received immediate treatment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, but chemotherapy failed to clear the illness.
Doctors arranged a stem cell transplant in May 2023 using cells donated by a man in his 30s, later identified as Steve Kemp from Nottingham. After two years of anonymous letters, the two were introduced and quickly formed a close bond, sharing a warm hug at their first meeting.
Meeting the Donor
Tom 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.”
He added: “I started running to build up my fitness again after treatment. I’d never been a keen runner but I gave it a go. When I mentioned this to Steve, we decided to run a marathon together.”
New Student Society and Fundraising
Now studying at Liverpool John Moores University, Tom has set up a new student society called LJMU Marrow to sign up potential life-savers to the stem cell register. He said: “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. “As a transplant physician, this is a dream come true,” he said. “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.”
The Amsterdam Marathon is scheduled to take place later this year, with Tom and Steve running to raise funds for Anthony Nolan, the charity that matches stem cell donors with patients in need.
