Cancer Survivor Meets Life-Saving Donor at Disney Race

Imagine running a race alongside the person who gave you the gift of life itself.

That's exactly what's happening this weekend at Walt Disney World, where cancer survivor Abby Hudak of California will finally meet Lewis Haggerty, the Scottish stem cell donor who saved her life in 2023. The two strangers connected by fate will run together in a 5K race during the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend.

Hudak underwent a life-saving stem cell transplant two years ago when Haggerty, an ocean away in Scotland, donated his stem cells to someone he'd never met. Now they'll cross the finish line together at one of the most magical places on earth.

The transplant was made possible through NMDP, a nonprofit organization that connects patients needing blood stem cell transplants with matching donors. Hudak's gratitude runs so deep that she now works with the very organization that saved her, helping guide new donors through the process and paying her second chance forward.

Sunny's Take

This story captures everything beautiful about human kindness crossing borders. Haggerty didn't hesitate to help a stranger halfway around the world, and now both their lives are forever intertwined in the best possible way.

Their reunion also shines a light on a critical need. NMDP receives around 15 grant requests every single day from patients struggling with transplant-related costs like housing, transportation, and medications. Financial barriers remain the biggest obstacle preventing people from accessing these procedures, which can treat or cure more than 75 different blood cancers and disorders.

The organization hopes to raise $26,000 during the Disney race weekend to help remove those barriers for more families. Every dollar means one more person gets the chance Hudak received.

The runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend runs April 16 through 20, featuring Disney-themed races including a 5K, 10K, and 10-miler. Participants who complete all three races will earn a special challenge medal, but Hudak and Haggerty have already won something far more precious than any medal could represent.

Sometimes the greatest adventures aren't just about the miles we run, but the lives we touch along the way.