Beating my five-year life expectancy and still going

Following contact with my bone marrow donor in the US, I’ve decided to create an art piece in celebration of the kindness of strangers.

I will be donating a percentage of the funds generated through the project to the Nolan Foundation in recognition of the tremendous work they do around the world matching donors with blood cancer patients.

With the support of my donor, Kim, and the US organisation, Be the Match, we also hope to exhibit the work Internationally, raising awareness and celebrating the donor’s gift of life to those with blood cancer.

Follow the story in my blog as the project progresses

This story was a long time coming. I didn’t want to tempt fate. Or open the door on my demons. I was told if I managed to live two years after the transplant, I might make five.

Come October 2023, I make that five.

It took four years before I could watch the few minutes of video log I made during the pre-transplant procedure. I managed only four logs before the pre-meds and poisonings had me in a permanent state of torpor. I didn’t recognise myself in those few minutes of recorded purgatory. But I relived them nonetheless.

I promise this isn’t going to be a serial horror story of self-pity and indulgence. It is intended as a personal log of my experiences and observations. My story is merely a version of the story of thousands. Hundreds of thousands.

Only mine has an unexpected twist in the tale. I will hail and praise those who thoroughly deserve it, but I’m not going to pull any punches on those who don’t. This won’t be an obsequious homage. Where indictments are appropriate, they will be included. The medical profession are not saints, the NHS is not a holy institution and the pharmaceutical industry is run by parasitic demons.

My story is, ultimately, a tribute to the blind selflessness and generosity of individuals. And it is those qualities I aim to capture in the glass art piece I’m about to embark upon.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey, bumps and all!