Since 2018, Gift of Life Marrow Registry has worked with National Hockey League (NHL) teams to raise awareness and excitement for the league’s annual “Hockey Fights Cancer” events held each November. The NHL hopes these activities will help “to unite the global hockey community through storytelling and meaningful events to fundraise for cancer research, to educate and empower more fans to learn about cancer risk factors, and to take action to get screened for certain cancers.”
At Gift of Life, we feel that nothing illustrates our mission more clearly than when a survivor of blood cancer or related deadly disease meets their hero – the person who gave stem cells or marrow to save their life – for the first time. The transplant process remains anonymous for a year, so these meetings are highly anticipated, emotional events.
The Florida Panthers welcomed Gift of Life to the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., on November 15 to introduce leukemia survivor Chris Brassington, 50, of Chandler, Ariz. to his lifesaving stem cell donor, Pauline Frendreiss, 22, of Tampa, Fla. Pauline joined Gift of Life while an undergraduate student at Florida State University during a Move-In Week drive in August 2021. Two years later, almost to the day, she learned she was a stem cell match for a man who had been battling leukemia for years.
Christopher and Pauline were introduced by the arena announcer during a break between periods. After explaining that a blood stem cell transplant can cure leukemia, and that Christopher was meeting the woman who saved his life, Pauline ran forward, and the two shared a hug to the cheers of the Panthers’ fans.
“I was diagnosed with chronic leukemia by my regular doctor in 2013 after some unusual blood counts but did not understand the severity of it at the time,” said Christopher. “For ten years, I participated in treatments and clinical trials that all eventually failed. I even had CAR-T cell treatment, but after a year and a half, the leukemia returned. At that point, a stem cell transplant was a bit of a last chance.”
Pauline was emotional and excited as she spoke about the experience.
“Nothing beats this feeling or has impacted me this much,” she said. “It has truly changed my life and my perspective on the world, and being a donor is not even a difficult thing to do!”
Christopher was full of gratitude and encouraged everyone who can do so to join the registry.
“It’s special to get to meet the person who saved my life, and in particular, saved my family’s lives,” said Christopher. “I have two daughters and a wife, and being able to still be part of their lives is everything. It’s very low entry to become a donor; you get a swab kit, or there is gum you can chew now and send it in. You really are saving lives – you’re also saving families, which is really wild.”
Tampa Bay Lightning fans offered truly thunderous applause and cheers at the Benchmark International Arena on November 24, when Gift of Life stem cell donor Leah Falk, 21, of Rockland, Md., was introduced to leukemia survivor Andy King, 48, of Westminster, Colo., for the first time. The excitement of seeing their meeting caused a long line of hopeful new registry members to visit the swabbing table in the concourse.
The two were introduced during a break in the game and exchanged a warm hug, with Andy smiling broadly the entire time.
Leah joined the registry in 2023 on campus at the University of Maryland – College Park, where she is a biotechnology major, and donated during her sophomore year.
“I didn’t really know what the program was when I swabbed, but I thought it sounded cool,” said Leah. “I didn’t even know my boyfriend was a member of the Gift of Life club at his university!” She learned more about the registry from him after joining and says his passion for the cause quickly spread to her.
“When I found out I was a match, he was the first person I told,” she said. “He was ecstatic! And although I was a little nervous about the needles involved, the opportunity to save a life was more important to me.”
Andy first learned his leukemia diagnosis after experiencing three bouts of pneumonia and having dental pain.
“I was in absolute shock and disbelief,” he said. “My mom passed away from brain cancer, so to hear the word ‘cancer’ again regarding me was really, really tough. I felt elated and relieved when my donor was found.”
Andy says he finds it difficult to put his gratitude to Leah into words, but he offered her emotional thanks.
“Because of Leah, I got to see my son graduate from high school, and hope to one day walk my daughter down the aisle and play with my future grandkids,” he said. “It is impossible to say thank you loud enough, and I hope our family has an ongoing relationship with her for a long time.”
Thank you to the National Hockey League, the Florida Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning for partnering with us to bring donors and recipients together and to help raise awareness of the need for blood stem cell donors to help give patients in need a second chance at life.