Hampshire cancer patient's lucky bond with life-saving brother

Kate Corney (left) said she owed her life to donor brother Sam (right)

A teacher whose brother donated stem cells to help to cure her advanced blood cancer has spoken of their "amazing lifelong connection".

Kate Corney, 35, from Emsworth, Hampshire, was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2014.

Her younger brother Sam proved to be a genetic match despite odds of only 25%, University Hospital Southampton said.

Ms Corney told a hospital conference she was "incredibly lucky" to be treatment-free and in remission.

Ms Corney said she and her brother had an "amazing lifelong connection"

Sam turned out to be a genetic match for his sister despite odds of only 25%

The history teacher was offered the transplant after six months of chemotherapy failed to cure her.

The operation, which had a 50% chance of lasting success, took place at University Hospital Southampton in 2015.

Sam, a web designer living in London, said: "I was really happy to be Kate's donor.

"I had given 20.5 million stem cells. Kate only needed 5 million for her transplant so it was great to know that by donating so many, I was giving her an excellent chance."

The teacher received her brother's stem cells at University Hospital Southampton

Ms Corney said: "I've never heard Sam say 'my sister is still alive because of me' but it's very much true.

"Now we have this amazing lifelong connection - we share the same blood group and immune system and we compare notes when either of us is ill."

Following her transplant Ms Corney received further treatment until the pandemic hit in March 2020.

Speaking at an event to celebrate 20 years of bone marrow and stem cell transplants at the hospital, she said her outcome was "miraculous".

She told her audience: "Although my life has been indescribably hard at times, it's always been manageable and, within all the hardship, there has always been good fortune."

In February the hospital said it had been recognised as having the best outcomes in Europe for bone marrow and stem cell transplants.