Cancer survivor meets anonymous life saving stem cell donor at Disney World

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor Abby Hudak met her stem cell donor for the first time during a 5K event at Walt Disney World, ABC News reported. Hudak received a life-saving transplant after being diagnosed with the condition at 30 years old. [1][8][9]

ABC News reported that Hudak was a lifelong athlete who began experiencing symptoms including shortness of breath, night sweats, and vision blackouts. Within hours of going to an emergency room, doctors diagnosed her with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and admitted her to the hospital for a month. [1]

According to ABC News, doctors determined that a stem cell transplant was Hudak's best chance at a cure. Months after starting her treatment, she learned that an anonymous match had been identified. At the time of the match, Hudak only knew her donor was a 28-year-old male. [1]

Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment complex located about 20 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida, which opened in October 1971. As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier in a separate case, stem cell transplants have previously allowed blood cancer survivors to recover and meet their matched donors years after treatment. [9][11]