In an incredible turn of events, a man who eagerly signed up to be a stem cell donor during a last-minute Christmas shopping spree has become a lifesaver for another blood cancer patient.

Meet Brendon Craister, a 26-year-old from Telford, Shropshire. His journey began at a donor drive held at Telford Minster last Christmas, where he hoped to find a match for local resident Marshall Davies, diagnosed with a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Although Brendon didn’t end up matching with Marshall, just a few months later, he received an unexpected call from Anthony Nolan, informing him he was a match for another person in need of stem cells.

"It was like fate—being in the right place at the right time," reflected Brendon. "Saying yes to help another person felt like an obvious choice. I couldn’t imagine saying no to such an opportunity."

Motivated by a personal connection to blood cancer—a colleague battling leukaemia—Brendon's decision was made even clearer as he recalled the urgency of the situation.

The donor process, organized by Race Against Blood Cancer, involved providing personal information and swabbing the inside of his cheeks.

On the day of the donation, Brendon described the experience as pleasantly surprising. "The whole process was unbelievably simple and seamless!" he said. While he did feel some discomfort during the Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) collection, he found it manageable and was amazed to know that such a straightforward procedure could ultimately save a life.

As Brendon celebrates his selfless act, the search continues for Marshall Davies, who still hasn't found a donor match. The Race Against Blood Cancer group highlights the urgent need for more donors, with around 2,000 people in the UK currently seeking matches. Each one could be just a simple swab away from saving a life!