When Stephen Cutts walked into what he believed was his wedding anniversary party earlier this month, he did not know a key figure in his recovery was waiting for him in the room.
Mr Cutts, a 53‑year‑old retired surgical instrument maker from Sheffield, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in April 2023. His treatment included seven rounds of chemotherapy and, crucially, a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor.
Surprise reunion at a family event
Those involved organised a surprise: Kevin McNicholl, the donor, had been invited by Mr Cutts's wife to attend the celebration. The donor, now 24 and a software engineer from Belfast, had been in contact with Mr Cutts by phone after the transplant, at first anonymously. When they met face to face at the party, emotion followed.
"I hugged him, we all did. There were plenty of tears," Mr Cutts said.
Mr Cutts described Mr McNicholl as "the nicest person I've ever met" and said: "To go through what he did for nothing, and for someone he didn't know, was incredible." Mr McNicholl, who was told he was a match when he was 21, said meeting Mr Cutts was "an incredible feeling" and called him "one of the strongest people I've ever met."
How a chance recruitment drive led to a life saved
Mr McNicholl joined the Anthony Nolan register at the age of 17 after a recruitment drive at his local Gaelic football club in Magherafelt, County Londonderry. He later reflected on that decision and urged clubs and community groups to run similar drives, noting that "you never know if your name will come up and, if it does, you have the chance to save someone's life."
Charlotte Cunliffe, director of register development at Anthony Nolan, emphasised the importance of young recruits, saying people under 30 provide the majority of stem cell donations — a point the charity highlights when encouraging community sign‑ups.
- Patient: Stephen Cutts, 53, Sheffield
- Diagnosis: Acute myeloid leukaemia, April 2023
- Treatment: Seven rounds of chemotherapy; stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor
- Donor: Kevin McNicholl, registered at 17; matched at 21; now 24 and from Belfast
Local meaning and wider implications
For Sheffield readers this is a reminder of two things: the human scale of modern haematology treatments and the practical value of donor recruitment close to home. Community groups, sports clubs and workplaces that host drives can make a direct contribution to life‑saving matches, as happened in this case.
The reunion also underlines how anonymity in the initial stages of a transplant can later give way to personal connection. After the medical procedure, the two kept in touch first anonymously and then by phone, leading to the in‑person meeting that clearly moved everyone present.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Patient age | 53 |
| Diagnosis | April 2023 |
| Donor age at match | 21 |
| Donor now | 24, from Belfast |
This story will resonate with anyone in Sheffield who has been touched by cancer or who volunteers with community recruitment efforts. For those considering registering as a potential donor, Anthony Nolan and other charities provide information on what signing up entails and how drives can be organised locally.
Above all, the meeting between Mr Cutts and Mr McNicholl was a quiet illustration of how individual choices made in local communities can have profound consequences for people’s lives.
