Strangers who became ‘best friends’ after stem cell donation saved the other’s life celebrate 25 years since transplant

Two strangers who became “best friends” after a stem cell donation saved the other’s life have celebrated 25 years since the transplant took place by writing letters to each other every year.

Samantha Johnson, 42, a community assistant practitioner who lives in Norfolk, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) – a rare type of cancer which affects the blood and bone marrow – in 1992, aged nine.

She underwent various treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but she relapsed twice, meaning a bone marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant, was her only chance of survival in 1999, aged 15.

Ann Colwill, 56, a customer adviser who lives in Cornwall, had been donating blood since the age of 17 – but in 1998, aged 30, she came across a leaflet from the charity Anthony Nolan about joining the stem cell register and she decided to sign up.

Ann’s donation resulted in a 99.9% match for Samantha, which doctors said was “a true miracle” at the time, and the bone marrow transplant on August 27 1999 at the former Children’s Hospital in St Michael’s Hill, Bristol, “saved (her) life”.

Due to anonymity policies, the pair remained strangers for years, but on Christmas Day in 2013, Samantha’s parents gave her a card with Ann’s contact details after “secretly” tracking her down.

Samantha and Ann spoke properly for the first time on Boxing Day in 2013 and met up in August 2016 for Ann’s wedding, and they have remained “best friends” ever since, sending each other cards on the anniversary of the transplant every year.

Samantha, who described Ann as her “guardian angel”, told PA Real Life: “Even when we meet up, it’s like I’m meeting her again for the first time – it’s so emotional.

“She’s one of the most amazing people I know and I’m just so grateful for what she did.

“If she hadn’t stepped forward on that day, I wouldn’t be here.

“It’s the most precious gift I could ever have.”

Ann, who is a grandmother-of-two now, added: “I literally only did it because I read that little information leaflet that was on the table.

“Please, if you’re thinking about donating, just give it a go – if you don’t like it, don’t go again, but so many lives can be saved because of it.”

Samantha was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in 1992, aged nine, and underwent chemotherapy.

After relapsing in 1994, she underwent cranial radiation and chemotherapy, but after relapsing for a second time in 1999, she was told “the only form of treatment available” for her was chemotherapy, full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant.

With none of Samantha’s immediate family being a match for the transplant, she waited for an anonymous donor to be found via Anthony Nolan’s stem cell register.

“It was just the waiting,” Samantha said.

“I just kept thinking, it’s not going to happen, I’m not going to see the end of the year now, that’s it.”

According to Anthony Nolan, if a patient has a condition that affects their bone marrow or blood, then a stem cell transplant may be their best chance of survival.

Doctors will give new, healthy stem cells to the patient via their bloodstream, where they begin to grow and create healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Samantha was incredibly “poorly” and believed she would not see the Millennium, but out of the blue she received a phone call saying a 99.9% match had been found for her – and this was due to Ann’s stem cell donation.

On August 27 1999, Samantha underwent the bone marrow transplant, which she described as a 30-minute blood transfusion, and she then went into isolation for eight weeks.

She said she started taking anti-rejection medication and, after those eight weeks, she was told she had reached remission.

“I saw the Millennium, which I didn’t think would happen,” Samantha said.

“It was a very emotional New Year because I didn’t expect to be there.”

Ann said she only joined the stem cell register after noticing the leaflet while giving blood in 1998 – and although she was later told that she was the “best match” for someone, she did not know who the recipient was.

Years went by with both parties wondering who the other was but in 2009, with the help of Anthony Nolan, Samantha’s parents tracked Ann down and sent her a Christmas card to thank her.

“It was a bizarre thing for me because, back then, you had no contact with the person that was receiving the bone marrow or anything,” Ann said.

“So when I did actually get a Christmas card from Sam’s parents for the first time, it absolutely knocked me for six because it brought it all back.”

Samantha was not aware of this until she received a Christmas card from her parents in 2013 with Ann’s phone number – and after a quick chat that day, the pair arranged to speak properly on Boxing Day.

“I had a letter and everything to say who Ann was, where she worked, where she lived, and I completely melted because I couldn’t believe it,” Samantha said.

“I never thought that day would come, actually finding out who the person was that saved my life.

“I think we spoke for about two hours and, hearing Ann’s voice, I had to keep pinching myself, telling myself it was real.

“I had butterflies in my stomach, my heart was in my mouth – it was completely surreal.”

Ann then invited Samantha and her family to her wedding in August 2016 – the first time they met in person, which was “massively emotional”.

They both said they had an “instant” connection and felt like they had “known each other forever”, and Samantha said it was the longest hug she has ever had.

Ann’s husband even asked Samantha’s father to give a speech on the wedding day, unbeknown to everyone else, and this made “every single guest cry”.

Since then, the pair have become incredibly close and visited each other in their respective home towns, and they write letters to celebrate the anniversary of the bone marrow transplant every year.

One letter from Samantha to Ann reads: “Who would have thought that we would be celebrating 25 years!!!

“You truly are a one in a million, as each year passes I am more and more grateful for you stepping forward and signing up to become a bone marrow donor.

“It was and is such a brave and courageous thing to do as a young woman, knowing that one day you may be called to save someone’s life…”

Ann said she is going to continue donating blood, with her next one being her 50th donation, and many of Samantha’s friends have become donors since hearing their story.

Samantha continues to have six-monthly check-ups and said the support of her family has been invaluable.

The pair hope their story encourages others to become donors to help save more lives.

Samantha said: “I would not be here today if Ann hadn’t stepped forward – that is the honest truth. I would not be here today.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there can be positive outcomes.”

To join Anthony Nolan’s register or support its research, visit: anthonynolan.org.