A North-West Londoner has enjoyed an “amazing” meeting with the American whose life he helped save through a stem cell donation.

In late 2018, finance worker Jake Furman, 31, was found to be a potential match for Edward Wolfman, originally from Wisconsin, who had been diagnosed with leukaemia the same year, having suffered from myeloma since 2005.

A blood donor from the age of 21, Mr Furman had also added his name to the Anthony Nolan Trust’s stem cell register.

After being alerted by the trust of the potential match, he underwent further tests and in April 2019 “was selected as the desired match. The following month I made the donation,” he told the JC.

While correspondence between recipients and donors is permitted, the trust mandates that both parties’ anonymity is maintained for at least two years.

“The first letter I received was around 50 days after my procedure,” Mr Furman recalled.

“The recipient said how well he was doing and we then exchanged letters for two years. On the second anniversary, if both parties consent, you are allowed to disclose your identity, which we decided to.”

Mr Wolfman, 67, is now cancer-free and made a stop-off in London on a trip to Spain from his Los Angeles home so the pair could spend some time together.

“We only met for one evening as his trip got cut short but he came to my parents’ house and we had a Friday night dinner.

“It was very surreal but pretty amazing. Ed is a great guy and I have to say that it is very strange how much we have in common. It was great to meet someone that I had not just helped but had formed a friendship with for two-plus years.”

In his efforts to help the Nolan trust diversify its register, Mr Furman organised a swab drive at the ground of his football club, Maccabi London Lions, on Sunday.

He said the club endeavoured to have a “deep impact on the community and we wanted to use the opportunity of Blood Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness and get 16-to-30-year-olds to add their name to the registry.

“For people who sign up between 16 and 30, you stay on the register until you’re about 60.
“It’s such a small gesture but one that can potentially do so much good.”

Mr Furman added that the widespread perception that bone marrow transplants were extremely painful was incorrect.

“The process has changed a lot and 90 per cent of all donations are completely non-invasive,” he explained.

“I was part of the ten per cent of cases where the bone marrow is directly injected via your hip, which is the richest source of bone. However, I just had some lower back pains for a couple of days afterwards.”