Thousands of Nashville Predators fans cheered loudly as they witnessed the emotional moment when a lymphoma survivor met her lifesaving stem cell donor on November 18 at Bridgestone Arena. The introduction was the highlight of “Hockey Fights Cancer Night” and is the seventh introduction of a donor and recipient hosted by the team.
As transplant recipient Jennifer Bean, 30, stood in the arena, the announcer told a bit of her story and then invited her donor, Sammantha “Sammi” Fuller, 25, to step forward and meet her. As Sammi ran out of the doorway behind Jennifer, the two embraced for a long, tearful hug as fans applauded them.
Jennifer was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2020 after the lymph nodes in her neck began swelling.
Doctors recommended an autologous stem cell transplant, where healthy blood stem cells from your own body are used to replace the bone marrow that is not functioning properly. But in Jennifer’s case, this first attempt at a cure did not work for her. At that point, the best option was to search for an unrelated matching donor in the registry and perform a second transplant.
“When I learned that a stem cell transplant from a stranger could help me, I was shocked and excited at the same time – it was kind of cool,” said Jennifer. She was even more excited when doctors told her a donor had been found!
“I was extremely happy, jumping up and down,” she said. “I told my dad who was with me and called my mom, and thankfully the search did not take too long.”
While Jennifer was looking forward to her upcoming transplant, Sammi was getting ready to donate. She had joined Gift of Life in 2019 while visiting Jerusalem on her Birthright Israel trip, a 10-day historic and cultural tour for young Jewish adults 18 to 26 years old. .
“When you hear this presentation [about donating stem cells] from an organization that is trying to do so much good, there’s no harm in signing up, it’s the right thing to do,” said Sammi. In late 2021, she learned she would have the chance to save someone’s life, and in May found herself in Boca Raton, Fla. at Gift of Life’s Adelson Collection Center donating stem cells.
“Everyone at Gift of Life made me feel comfortable,” said Sammi. “But even more importantly, I felt like everyone I encountered there was grateful for my donation. Everyone is truly invested in the organization’s mission.”
After the infusion of cells was given to Jennifer, she felt immense relief.
“It was absolutely a hard journey to go through, and I was ready to have my life be normal again,” she said. “I was looking forward to and nervous about finally meeting Sammi, and want to say again, thank you for saving my life.”
Sammi is an epidemiologist and is currently living in Charleston, S.C. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and uses her free time for hiking and outdoor activities that her dog can also enjoy.
Jennifer is a food service worker in Kernersville, N.C., and has attended the Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown. She loves sports – especially the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Capitals – and likes swimming, fishing, and hanging out with friends playing pool.
Thank you, Nashville Predators Foundation, for your ongoing support of our lifesaving mission!
