Thrilled Rolf Genzel (left), of Germany,and his proud British stem cell donor Kevin Davies (Image: handout)
A music fan persuaded by a campaigning rock star to be a stem cell donor told the Daily Express of his pride, at saving a sick stranger’s life in Germany.
Mike Peters, 65, of 1980s Welsh band The Alarm has chart hits including ’68 Guns’ and also fronted rock band Big Country – but since 1995 he’s fought an aggressive lymphoma cancer multiple times.
In his role as co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation with wife Jules, 57, Mike launched the One in a Million campaign to boost the numbers on the stem cell registry and save more lives.
When his old schoolmate Kevin Davies saw volunteers at one of Mike’s gigs taking mouth swabs for the registry, he signed up and was later matched to a cancer patient in need in Leipzig, Germany.
Now Kevin, 65, has told us that despite his 28 years as a policeman, joining the registry is the best thing he’s ever done – and now he and patient Rolf Genzel, 67, have become close friends.
Musician and cancer campaigner Mike Peters of rock band The Alarm (Image: handout)
Married father-of-two Kevin, of Leyland in Lancashire, told us: “Being a donor has really changed my life.
“I helped save people while in the police, but this surpasses it. What more can you do in life than give something as simple as your stem cells to enable someone else to continue to live their life fully. It really is a fantastic feeling.”
While proud pop star Mike Peters – currently awaiting new CAR-T therapy treatment in Manchester’s The Christie hospital after his cancer returned again last October – told us he’s thrilled Kevin signed up and saved Rolf’s life.
And Mike said he hopes their story will inspire others to join the register, saying: “Kevin and I worked in a warehouse together when we were teenagers and bought our first records together.
“It’s fantastic he has been able to help Rolf and they have met and stayed in touch. Someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer every 20 minutes.
“We can only find a match for about 60% of patients needing a stem cell transplant at the moment, so getting more donors on the list is vital.”
Kevin Davies donating plasma for Rolf (Image: handout)
Retired Greater Manchester Police officer Kevin had lost touch with chart success Mike over the years until he went to one of his gigs in 2001, they reunited and discussed his cancer battles.
He explained: “Mike and I grew up in Rhyl together, went to the same schools and played in the same football team. I’d lost touch with him when he became a musician but rekindled our friendship.
“I was aware of the ‘Love, Hope Strength’ charity mouth swabbing for potential donors at his gigs, but never really thought about getting on the list.”
But in 2015 at a Manchester gig, Kevin decided to approach the volunteers swabbing on behalf of DKMS, the international blood cancer charity.
He added: “I got a phone call in June 2016 and told I was a match for a patient in need of a stem cell transplant.
“I went on to donate my stem cells in October 2016 in London. I was a 10/10 match for Rolf. The process was so straight-forward. I’m so glad I did it.”
And in October 2022, after years corresponding, Kevin and wife Jo eventually met Rolf and wife Gudrun in Leipzig, Germany, and their families now have a “lovely friendship”.
Rolf and Kevin meet up in Germany (Image: handout)
Rolf, a senior manager at technology giant Siemens, first visited a doctor in Germany in April 2016 with “rheumatism in his hands” later diagnosed as rare blood cancer myelodysplasia.
Rolf explained: “I immediately started on drug treatment and chemotherapy but unfortunately it was unsuccessful, so in July 2016 the search for a suitable stem cell donor began.
“When I was told a donor was found, we were very happy. I was admitted to the Leipzig University Hospital in October and the transplant took place in November.
“After a couple of days the doctors told me things were going well and my chances of survival were 85 per cent. To the doctors’ great surprise, I had very few side effects but after the transplant I decided to retire.
“The contact with Kevin and his wife Jo is very special. Thanks to Kevin I got to see my 60th birthday, and now I’m enjoying a good life and I expect to see my 70th. They‘ve visited us in Leipzig and planning another visit next year.”
Rolf and wife Gudrun meet Kevin at airport (Image: handout)
Blood cancers are the fifth most common type of cancer, with more than 12 million new cases diagnosed worldwide every year.
They are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK with nearly 13,000 people dying from blood cancer in the UK every year. At any one time there are around 2,000 people in the UK in need of a stem cell transplant.
Anyone between 17 and 55 years can be added to the stem cell register – which boasts around five million donors – once they’ve answered a few health questions.
The Love Hope Strength Foundation – operating in the US, UK and Australia – was co-founded by Mike, wife Jules and their friend James Chippendale who had received a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
With the support of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, The Stranglers, and a host of other music stars the foundation has registered more than 250,000 people onto blood stem cell registries through its ‘Get On The List’ partnership with DKMS – but now Mike wants to double that to 500,000 donors.
Incredibly, over 4,500 of those already registered with Love Hope Strength have been identified as potentially lifesaving matches, giving hope to those with a blood cancer.
Mike Peters and pal Kevin, who he inspired to sign up to stem cell register (Image: handout)
Mike Peters of The Alarm wants to double the names on the stem cell register (Image: handout)
Kevin Davies donating plasma for Rolf (Image: handout)
Last November Mike – who has two sons aged 17 and 20 – said his own “future is uncertain” as he implored people to become potential stem cell donors.
He was forced to cancel a US tour early in 2024 when being diagnosed with another fast-growing lymphoma only to be given the all-clear in September following experimental therapy at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester.
But his rare and aggressive lymphoma returned last October. He was first diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) more than 29 years ago aged 36.
In 2024 medics diagnosed him with Richter’s syndrome, where CLL changes into a much more aggressive lymphoma.
He is now about to start CAR-T therapy – a very specialist new type of immunotherapy.
Mike with devoted wife and mum-of-two Jules (Image: handout)
Mike said of his latest relapse: “I still have many options and as I navigate those, I want to make sure I help other blood cancer sufferers like me.”
While wife Jules Peters said: “During this difficult time, we want to put our energy into helping others find that perfect match, now and in the future. So please donate a cheek swab and get on the list to help a stranger.”
* To donate to the Love Hope Strength Foundation and help those affected by blood cancer visit https://www.lovehopestrength.co.uk/
* To order a stem cell registry swab kit, click on this link http://dkms.org.uk/lhs_24
EXCLUSIVE COMMENT – By Deborah Hyde, of blood cancer charity DKMS.
Deborah Hyde, of blood cancer charity DKMS. (Image: handout)
“People like Kevin who join the stem cell register are offering vital hope to people needing a stem cell transplant that they will find a compatible match.
“DKMS holds the UK’s largest stem cell donor register of over one million potential donors.
“Finding a perfect match for someone needing a stem cell transplant can be like finding a needle in a haystack – there are ten genetic markers that experts will look for – but if someone on the DKMS list is called to donate, we’re here to answer any questions they might have, and support them all the way.
“In nine out of ten cases, it’s a simple, outpatient procedure similar to donating blood platelets.
“Someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer every 20 minutes, so we are really grateful to partners like Mike and Jules Peters, founders of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, for all they do to help encourage more people to sign up to our register.
“It’s quick and easy to do – and you’ll be joining a worldwide chain of hope!”
Please visit www.dkms.org.uk and sign up to join the stem cell register and save a stranger’s life.
WHAT IS A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT?
What is a stem cell?
Stem cells are immature cells which can divide and develop into all the different types of specialised cells your body needs, and are found in your bone marrow.
Your bone marrow is spongy tissue found in the middle of some bones, like your hip, thigh and breastbone.
You need specialised cells to make everything in your body – from your organs and muscles, to your nerves and blood. Stem cells act like templates with instructions for creating new cells.
What is a stem cell transplant?
During a stem cell transplant, your medical team will replace your damaged blood stem cells with new, healthy stem cells from a suitable donor. It’s a bit like getting a blood transfusion – it’s not an operation.
In time, the new stem cells will attach to your bone marrow in a process called engraftment. After this, the donated stem cells will start to make new blood cells.
When is a transplant needed?
To treat conditions that damage bone marrow, such as some types of cancer – like leukaemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma – or to replace blood cells that are damaged by chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
How do I join the stem cell donor register?
It’s quick and easy – just some quick mouth swabs and a few health questions. Go online at dkms.org.uk. Anyone aged 17-55 and in general good health can sign up.
Do your cheek swabs and post them back to DKMS – it’s free. In nine out of ten cases, donating is a simple, outpatient procedure similar to giving blood.
Within about a fortnight, a donor’s own stem cell levels will usually have regenerated to their normal levels. Only about a third of people needing a stem cell transplant will find a donor match within their immediate family.
Stem cells from UK-based donors have been sent by DKMS to patients in 42 different countries – the farthest afield is New Zealand.
But if you’re not eligible to sign up, there are lots of other ways to support people with blood cancer: https://www.dkms.org.uk/
