November is the National Hockey League’s “Hockey Fights Cancer” month. Each year the Florida Panthers offer Gift of Life Marrow Registry the opportunity to bring together a lifesaving stem cell or marrow donor and the stranger whose life they saved.
On November 20, 2023 at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., leukemia survivor William “Chane” Anderson, a 41-year-old father of two from Texas, was thrilled to meet the man whose stem cells gave him a second chance at life, 26-year-old Owen Hern of New York City.
The two were introduced during the first period and shared an emotional hug and some huge smiles as they waved at the crowd.
In December 2017, Chane had a cold he couldn’t shake off, as well as swelling in his gums and legs, and other symptoms. He was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia and learned that a stem cell transplant was his best option for survival.
"My siblings were heartbroken after the test when they did not match me closely enough to donate,” said Chane. “I hoped the doctors would find a donor in the registry but did not think it would happen so quickly – they found Owen within months.”
Owen donated blood stem cells to save Chane's life.
Owen had joined Gift of Life in 2018 during a donor recruitment drive at the University of Richmond where he was a student.
“It was during a chapter meeting at my fraternity,” said Owen. “Jamie Katz, who was my classmate at UR and a Gift of Life Campus Ambassador, came in to teach us about the program. We all took swab samples and signed up for the registry.”
Chane is grateful for the chance to have more time with his two children, an 11-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, and to be with them as they grow up.
“I am so happy we are able to meet Owen and have the chance to thank him in person,” said Chane. “He and his family seem like great people that we can be friends with for the rest of my life.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled that Chane is now cancer-free,” said Owen. “I’m so incredibly humbled that I was able to help him, but I think most people would do the exact same thing if given the opportunity. I’m very grateful to Jamie for getting me involved in the registry.”
Owen is a resident of New York City where he works as a Merger and Acquisition Insurance Broker. He says he is a massive sports fan, including the Yankees, Arsenal F.C., and the Giants, as well as following other major sports. He also loves learning about history and geography.
Chane is an Industrial Inspector in La Porte, Texas, where he spends a lot of time engaged with his two children’s activities, and also playing billiards. He has recently taken up fishing, and says that he is mostly focusing on his children and being in their lives.
Thank you to the Florida Panthers for making this a special night for our donor and recipient, and for always helping to spread the word about our lifesaving mission.