Australian man meets UK stem cell donor who saved his life after 10,000-mile journey

An Australian man who received life-saving stem cell treatment has travelled over 10,000 miles to meet the UK donor who helped save his life.

Luke Melling, 31, from Melbourne, made the long journey to Grantham in Lincolnshire to meet Alastair Hawken, 51, the man who donated his stem cells in 2022. The two met in person for the first time at Avenham Park in Preston, Lancashire, on Friday.

Mr Melling was first diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma as a teenager. After years of treatment, his condition worsened and by 2022 he had exhausted all available options. A stem cell transplant became his only hope of survival.

Stem cell transplants require donors with a matching tissue type. Mr Melling’s sister was tested but found not to be a match, an outcome he described as “terrifying”. A wider search through global donor registries eventually located Mr Hawken, who had been listed on the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry for 14 years.

Mr Hawken, a father-of-three, registered as a donor during a regular blood donation session, in memory of his mother who died of cancer when he was 23. She had required multiple blood transfusions during treatment, which inspired him to give back.

Mr Melling said meeting Alastair in person is a dream come trueCaters Photographic

He was contacted in 2022 and informed that he had been identified as a potential match for a patient in need of a transplant. “I didn’t hesitate to say yes when they asked if I wanted to go ahead,” he said.

The donation procedure took place in April 2022. Stem cells were collected from Mr Hawken over the course of a few hours, during which he watched television and was brought refreshments. The stem cells were then cryogenically frozen and transported to Australia, where Mr Melling underwent the transplant a month later.

The operation was a success and Mr Melling has since made a full recovery. In 2023, he completed a marathon, travelled extensively, and returned to the active lifestyle he had previously lost due to illness.

Speaking about the emotional reunion, Mr Melling said: “Meeting Alastair in person is a dream come true. What do you say to the person who has given you your life back by literally giving a part of themselves? There are no words but I hope he knows how grateful I am.

“Me being able to get on that plane and fly across the world is only possible because of him, and the moment I got to give him that huge hug and thank him in person is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Mr Hawken echoed the sentiment, saying: “I never thought this moment would come. To meet you is a blessing – it completes the circle.”

He added: “Meeting Luke really brings home just what a difference that simple act can make. It’s incredible to finally get to meet Luke and his lovely mum, too. We’re bonded in a way that I can’t quite describe and meeting them both in person is really such an honour.”

The NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, you are giving an opportunity for more patients to find the life-saving match Luke Melling

Reflecting on his decision to register as a donor, Mr Hawken said: “Joining the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry whilst at one of my regular blood donation appointments was a no-brainer. I didn’t really think about it again until I got the phone call, 14 years later, telling me I had come up as a match.”

Mr Melling added: “If Alastair hadn’t made the decision to join the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, things could have been very different for me. There was nobody else who could have done what he has done for me.”

Their story is being shared to raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to register. The NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry is open to eligible blood donors aged between 17 and 40.

Lilian Hook from NHS Blood and Transplant said: “It’s fantastic to see Luke and Alastair get to meet in person. They are two people who live on opposite sides of the world and yet now have this remarkable story and bond to share.

“It really does go to show the importance of stem cell donation and the real tangible difference it can make to somebody’s life. By joining the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, you are giving an opportunity for more patients to find the life-saving match they so desperately need – it could be your neighbour or it could be a stranger on the other side of the world, but the impact on them and their families is the same.”

She added that joining the registry is a simple process: “Just ask at your next blood donation appointment and one day, like Alastair, you could get the call asking you to help out.”