Three Holes man to meet the Ipswich man he saved life of with bone marrow donation

EXCLUSIVE by: MAGGIE GIBSON

A YOUNG cancer sufferer will have an emotional meeting tomorrow (Saturday) with the stranger from the Fens who saved his life by donating bone marrow.

Matthew Hall will meet Olly Rofix, 24, who was staring death in the face after being diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia. He was given the transplant, two days after his 21st birthday, through The Anthony Nolan Trust's register.

The only contact the two men have had until now is by the exchange of Christmas cards and by email.

"What do you say to someone who has saved your life? Thank-you just doesn't seem enough," said Olly of Woodbridge, Suffolk. "I am really looking forward to meeting Matthew and I am so deeply grateful for what he has done."

Mr Hall, 43, will be taking his wife and 11-year-old daughter with him when he travels to Ipswich.

"It is a really good feeling to know that I helped save a life," said Mr Hall of The Squires Drove, Three Holes

" I was shocked when I got the call to go for further tests but when I knew I could actually help someone there was no way I was going to say no."

Mr Hall, a carpenter, and wife Karen joined the register in 1995 after an appeal for a woman who worked in their local take-away. Sadly no match was found for her and she died leaving a young family.

As Olly's health deteriorated and a bone marrow transplant was the only option left, Mr Hall was called for further tests.

"The Anthony Nolan Trust made it really easy for me and I consider myself lucky to have been in such a position to help. I hope that someone would do the same for me if they had the chance."

After registering with the Trust, Mr Hall and his wife helped to run a group in Wisbech which raised �10,000 to help pay for clinics carrying out initial blood tests on potential bone marrow donors.