Six Years Cancer Free! How a stem cell transplant from my brother cured my Leukaemia.

A photo of Graeme A Clark aka Oldmangrey Grey, sitting in a living room space with art work on the wall behind him. He's smiling & holding an iPad with the screen turned to us, it says 'Keep Calm I'm Cancer Free.' — *Sharing the amazing news in 2018.*

On the 12th of April 2024, I turned six years old!

We took a trip to London to celebrate this milestone, as well as my younger brother Jamie’s 30th Birthday…let me explain...

A bit of background

A lot of you reading this will know that I was diagnosed out of the blue with a blood cancer, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, in November 2017. You can read all about my diagnosis, treatment, and recovery in my three-part ‘Three Years Cancer Free’ blogs.

After my initial round of chemo, I was informed by my medical team that my type of Leukaemia had been identified as ‘high risk of relapse’ and that my only option for remission and cure was to receive a stem cell transplant. In layman terms, the medics were going to have to find someone who was a stem cell ‘match’ for me, nuke my entire immune system, transplant the donor’s stem cells, and then manage this embedding to make sure the new immune system was happy in its new home and would identify any leukaemia cells going forward and kill them off.

Graeme Clark in hospital sat on the bed next to his brother Jamie. Jamie is wearing a white plastic apron over his clothes, with his jumper sleeves rolled up showing bandages around his elbows. His hands are held up in balled fists. — *After Jamie’s stem cell donation - April 2018.*

My older younger brother…

Only around 1 in 4 people who need a stem cell transplant to cure their cancer, find a match in their sibling. So, when my only sibling Jamie went for the tests, we were quietly hopeful but realistic that the odds were against us. Incredibly, it turned out Jamie was a 10 out of 10 match for me (don’t ask me the technicalities and what the 10 areas of testing are...!). He agreed to step up and donate his stem cells to be transplanted to me - wee legend!

On the 12th of April 2018, after 3 days of chemo and 8 radiotherapy sessions in the previous week, I received via an I.V. drip, the bag of stem cells that had been harvested from Jamie in the few days prior. And so, the clock started again on my immune system; it was day zero for me, and 24-year-old Jamie had helped to save my life.

Graeme Clark with brother Jamie, on London Bridge as the sun sets with pinks & purples in the sky. Jamie's hands are held up and balled into fists. Graeme smiles at the camera. — *London, April 2024.*

Arsenal

So, I guess it’s only fair that I helped to organise something awesome for Jamie’s 30th Birthday this year. Each year we mark ‘blood brother’s day’ – the day of the stem cell transplant – with a wee trip away together for a few nights. As our 2024 trip would be in the same year as his ‘big birthday’, I decided a big treat was in store.

Along with my folks, we arranged for prestige tickets to see Arsenal (his team – we definitely don’t match on that front!) at home against Villa on 14th April, to be part of a weekend long trip to London with our mum for double celebrations. While The Gunners sadly didn’t pull a win out of the bag, it was still a great game in amongst a great few days of eating, shopping and drinking, and enjoying family time together.

We were smiling less at the end of the game…

Gratitude

Since my diagnosis (even, and in fact especially, through treatment), I’ve tried to be much more proactive at consciously being grateful for the positives in life. Don’t get me wrong, I can still sweat the small stuff when I shouldn’t, but I’m now so grateful for life; as my wife and I often say ‘health is wealth’. Mindset is a powerful tool, and I’d encourage everyone to think of a few things that they’re grateful everyday…including being here today to have the opportunity to think about them.

A selfie of Graeme A Clark aka Oldmangrey standing on a bridge in London, with the Tate Modern behind him. The sun is shining and he's wearing sunglasses. — *Grateful.*

Be a hero

If you’ve read this blog and you’re feeling great to hear an inspiring tale of cancer getting kicked into touch by two Scottish laddies, then why not be a hero yourself? The below link will take you to the Antony Nolan website where you can do a simple mouth swab, to join the register. One day in the future, you just might get to save someone like me :)

Only 2% of the UK population are registered as stem cell donors.

Visit the Anthony Nolan website to find out how to be a potential life saver. Thank you.

Six Years Cancer Free