Luke was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a teenager and spent years in and out of treatment and trials, as the illness kept returning. In 2021, his care came under the Royal Melbourne Hospital. It was there that the team recommended an allogeneic transplant, using stem cells from a donor to replace diseased cancer cells.
”Going from remission to relapse was crushing. After the fifth time, I was close to stepping back from treatment altogether," Luke says.
But after another relapse, a transplant became his only option. Luke underwent an allogeneic transplant using healthy stem cells from a rare, matched donor overseas. He spent long periods in hospital, followed by 100 days in isolation to protect his recovery.
“You’re basically getting a brand new immune system,” Luke says. “That was the toughest time of my life, but at the RMH I always knew I’d be looked after so well.”
From nurses and doctors to the wider care teams, Luke says the skill and compassion of the RMH staff helped him feel safe during enormous uncertainty.
“That level of care is everything when you’re that unwell,” he says. “It’s why supporting the RMH matters, so more people get the same chance at survival that I did.”
By purchasing a Home Lottery ticket, you help ensure more patients like Luke receive a second chance at life, backed by world-class care at the RMH.