World Cancer Day 2024 - "I'm having a stem cell transplant this month - the hospital is like an amazing science lab"

Posted 4th February 2024

When 64 year old John Walton, from Gatacre, began feeling breathless and lightheaded, he went to his doctors.

“I had very few symptoms that would indicate anything sinister. Lots of tests we’re conducted and there was no clear signs of what was wrong with me but I kept feeling lightheaded. Eventually, I was sent for blood tests.” explains John.

A floor fitter by trade, John was working with his son when he got a phone call. “I was contacted by a haematology nurse and told to go to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. I went home, poured my wife a glass of wine and broke the news to her.

“When I got to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, it was surreal. I was terrified and had been Googling all sorts of things and got myself into a bit of a state about everything” John explains.

“I was told to arrive at 9am when I would meet my team and to expect a two week stay in hospital. I was in car crash mode. The whole world was just spinning around me. I found it very difficult to hand over control of the situation to the team at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre because I’m usually the one in control.” John adds.

After a stay in hospital and a number of tests, John was told he had a form of blood cancer called myelodysplasia or MDS, which affects the bone marrow. MDS can occur at any age but is most common in the over 70’s. Breathlessness, something John experienced, can sometimes be a symptom of MDS due to the lack of red blood cells in the body.

John was told he was to receive a stem cell transplant – The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is a leading centre for stem cell transplants in the North West and last year performed 81 stem cell transplant procedures. John is due to receive his stem cell transplant later this month.

“The team found a stem cell match for me very quickly when none of my immediate family turned out to be matches – they found three possible matches out of 92 million records which shows the enormity of their task. That was such a relief.” John said. “Now, I’m feeling OK about the transplant and I’m keen to crack on and get it done. I’ve had a tour around the Stem Cell Transplant Ward on Level 5 so I know what to expect – that’s been so helpful.

“The team at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre have always been incredibly reassuring. Advanced Nurse Practitioners like Caroline and Janine have supported me from that first day, bringing me back to reality when I’ve felt overwhelmed. One of my consultants, Dr Gabe Toth, has been so generous with his time, spending ages with me answering all my questions.

“I feel like The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is like a huge science laboratory, working towards curing cancer and making people better. Every hospital in the world should be like this one and the doctors and nurses here are beating cancer for me.”

John has been telling his story on World Cancer Day today (4th February), a day to raise awareness of cancer and its symptoms. He has advice for anyone going through a similar situation to him; “I work in the building trade so I’m always planning. When I was diagnosed, I learnt to keep my planning horizons short. That means, just look as far ahead as you can deal with and take it day by day. Don’t look at the entire thing in one go, it’s too overwhelming, break it down into manageable chunks. My stem cell transplant is the next manageable chuck I’m hoping to deal with.”