Home / Health / Stranger's Stem Cells Spark Unlikely Friendship
Stranger's Stem Cells Spark Unlikely Friendship
1 May
Summary
- A stranger's stem cell donation saved Abby Hudak's life.
- The donor, Lewis Haggerty, signed up years before at a university fair.
- Hudak and Haggerty met in person years after the life-saving transplant.
Abby Hudak's life took an unexpected turn at age 30 with a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After months of treatment, doctors determined a stem cell transplant was her best chance for a cure.
Months later, Hudak learned a stranger, Lewis Haggerty from Scotland, was her match. Haggerty had registered as a donor years earlier at a university fair, viewing it as a simple act of doing the right thing.
In 2023, Haggerty donated stem cells. Hudak's recovery was extensive, involving a month in the hospital and years of ongoing treatment and managing complications.
After a mandatory two-year anonymity period, Hudak and Haggerty began communicating, eventually leading to a first in-person meeting at Walt Disney World. The reunion was emotional, solidifying their connection.
To celebrate their bond, they ran a 5K together. Haggerty traveled from Scotland to witness Hudak's recovery, finding the experience incredible. They hope their story inspires others to become donors, emphasizing the significant impact of such a donation.
