Saviour by the bell

Teen's surprise meeting with donor as he leaves hospital

- JEREMY ARMSTRONG

A TEENAGER thanked his stem cell donor for giving him another chance to live as he rang the bell at the end of his cancer treatment.

George Shaw, 15, was surprised to meet Kimmy Strelley for the first time on his landmark day.

Kimmy, 38, a hairdresser, anonymously donated her stem cells to George via a bone marrow transplant in December 2021.

With just 2% of the UK population signed up to the stem cell register, she was found to be one of very few perfect matches available worldwide.

The pair will now have a lifelong bond. Although George's hair, skin and saliva will always be made of his own genetic fingerprint, his blood will now show Kimmy's DNA.