A Scottish Donor and California Cancer Survivor Unite at Disney’s Springtime Surprise Weekend
For Abby Hudak, every breath and every mile is a reminder of the life she almost lost to blood cancer. Last week at Disney World’s Springtime Surprise Weekend, she finally came face-to-face with the person who made those moments possible: the stem cell donor she had dreamed of meeting for years.
Hudak, a blood cancer survivor from Fresno, California, traveled to Florida for a milestone she had dreamed of for years: meeting Lewis Haggerty, the man from Edinburgh, Scotland, whose stem cell donation saved her life.
The pair met for the first time at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex while picking up their race bibs for the runDisney Springtime Surprise 5K. The meeting was an emotional culmination of a journey that began three years ago when Hudak was in a hospital bed fighting for her life.
“It feels surreal to put a face . . . to the cells that saved my life just a few years ago,” Hudak said. “I’m very happy.”
The emotional weight of the encounter was evident as Hudak spoke directly to Haggerty. “Every single experience that I have is just because of you,” she told him on video that captured the exchange.
Hudak revealed that her brother had been tested as a potential donor but was only a “half match,” making Haggerty’s selfless act through the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) the essential key to her recovery.
For Haggerty, the decision to join the registry was a simple one, though he never expected to receive the call.
“I saw the opportunity to sign up to be a stem cell donor, and I thought, well, hey, I’ll sign up,” Haggerty recalled. “And you think you’re never going to get matched with anyone, honestly. And then five or so years later, I got the call and I thought, well, okay, this is an opportunity to help someone in need, and I would hope that someone would help me if ever I were in that situation.”
Haggerty traveled across the Atlantic to join Hudak in the 5K, marking their first meeting with a “fun run.” “It’s amazing to be able to take in this environment and enjoy this experience with her in such a vibrant and amazing place,” he said.
The duo completed the 5K together, laughing and stopping to meet Disney characters along the course. For Hudak, the location was as significant as the event itself.
“I haven’t been here since I was a kid, and to be able to run through the park with the person who saved my life and then experience Disney and all of its magic… this is exactly where I want to meet him,” she said.
As they crossed the finish line, the reality of the moment was not lost on Hudak. Just three years prior, she was receiving Haggerty’s cells in a hospital; today, she was running a race beside him.
“Absolutely incredible. We laughed the whole time, just enjoying each other’s company,” Hudak said after the 5K. “I have a long list of things that I plan to do. And it’s all because Lewis gave me this extra time.”
The partnership between runDisney and organizations like the NMDP provides a platform for such life-saving stories. Adam Ball, Vice President of Disney Sports, noted that Disney is honored to support the NMDP and over 80 other charities. “Knowing that every mile makes a difference, it makes the entire experience more magical and more meaningful for us,” Ball said.
Amy Ronneberg, CEO of the National Marrow Donor Program, emphasized how the event helps support patients as they move toward receiving a second chance at life.
