A generous North East student has helped save the lives of two blood cancer patients.

Three years ago, Sean Haycock, originally from County Durham, donated vital stem cells which saved the life of leukaemia patient Anne Bentley. But he didn't stop there.

Now, Anne, 65, has spoken of her gratitude to Sean, and the moment she found out he was planning to give another donation, The Mirror reports.

Anne, from Shipley in West Yorkshire, was first diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2002. She dismissed her symptoms – which included night sweats, fatigue and pain in her side – as the menopause, until a blood test revealed she had high levels of defective white blood cells.

After chemotherapy, the cancer went into remission - but 15 years later, she was dealt a devastating blow. The mother-of-one had now developed a new, different form of the disease.

The seamstress said: “They told me it was very rare to have two types of leukaemia. I’d been looking a bit pale and feeling tired. I went to pieces. It felt so unfair.”

This time, drugs weren't enough, and Anne needed a stem cell transplant but none of her family matched her rare blood tissue group. A stranger donation was the only option - and after being contacted by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, Sean stepped forward.

Sean and Anne met in December 2019 for the first time

Sean, now 22, then a dental student in Newcastle, made his donation during his university summer holidays.. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Anne was keen to contact Sean to thank him in person, but for the first two years after the gift, had to remain anonymous, though she sent him cards and letters, starting 100 days after her transplant.

Finally, in 2019, at Christmas time, the pair were able to meet up in person, at Sean's family home in County Durham. Sean kept the news of his second donation a secret until they met, as a surprise for Anne.

Anne said: “Sean gave me the ultimate gift, he saved my life. He’s my hero. I was so excited to meet him for the first time. It made Christmas so special.

“I couldn’t believe it when he told me he was going to donate again. I felt very emotional, because I knew how much it would mean to that person. I hope all three of us can meet up one day.”

By Christmas 2019 Sean was having injections to make his bone marrow release more stem cells into his blood, so they could be easily harvested for the second transplant. It is exceptionally rare for a donor to give cells to two people.

Sean said: "When it came to meeting up I was a bit nervous, you build it up in your mind. I met up with Anne and her family just before Christmas, so they came over for a bit of a Christmas dinner. It was really lovely. And strange timing as well, because that day I'd started my G-CSF injections for another recipient - I'd come up as a match again! I was shocked, I knew it was really unlikely.

"The second time was an even better experience. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and how the donation would go. Also having met Anne, this time I had even more motivation because I'd seen that it works. I didn't tell Anne until I met her and her reaction was brilliant."

Sean does not know who the recipient is but was told they survived the 100 days post-transplant. He said: “I had only been back on the register 40 days when I got a call saying I was a match for someone else. I didn’t hesitate, I was happy to help.”

And he said he would "encourage anyone to sign up" for the chance to give the same lifesaving gift.

He said: "Everyone I know has been interested. It's the first thing people bring up, they all want to know what it was like, what Anne is like - everyone wants to meet Anne! Quite a few people have since signed up to the register which I'm also quite proud of.

"If you do come up as a match, it's so easy. I feel like I didn't do anything really, I just got some injections and turned up at the hospital for a few hours. It really is so easy, yet the difference you'll be making is phenomenal."

  • Anthony Nolan has launched its Coronavirus Emergency Appeal to ensure stem cell donations can reach patients who urgently need them, despite the pandemic. To donate or to join the stem cell donor register, visit www.anthonynolan.org