WATCH: Walsall boy given six months to live meets the man who saved his life
Jack Withers was just 10 when he was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
The emotional first meeting of a child cancer patient and his life-saving donor has been captured on video.
Jack Withers, from Walsall, was just 10 when was told he had six months to live, but a bone marrow donor from Germany came forward and saved his life.
Strict donation rules mean that donors and recipients cannot meet for a set amount of time, and both parties must request a meeting.
But now the restriction has lifted, blood cancer charity DKMS set up the emotional meeting at its fundraising gala in London.
WATCH the moment Jack and Michael met:
Video shows Jack and his donor, 27-year-old Michael Merten, embracing each other before Mr Merten is surrounded and hugged by members of Jack's family.
In 2015, Jack was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer called MDS at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Jack's twin Emily had been diagnosed with the condition eight years previously.
Their mother, Jo Withers, said the news was 'totally out of the blue' and that she never expected 'lightening to strike twice'.
Fortunately for Emily, their twin's older sister Lauren was a match and was able to give her a life-saving donation.
But Lauren was not a match for Jack, so a hunt for a donor was launched.
"We were told there and then that he would only have six months to live," said Mrs Withers.
"That was never an option in my head, I gave birth to three children and three children were here to stay."
Emily was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in around April 2010.
Aplastic anaemia is a blood disorder in which bone marrow does not make enough new blood cells.
Emily and her sister Lauren underwent the transplant in October and two months later the treatment was declared a success.
Doctors said Emily was likely to miss her first year at school to get back to full health, but her recovery was faster than expected and she was soon spending a few days at Lower Farm Primary School.
The pair were later chosen as recipients of the Express & Star's Local Hero awards.
The family later handed over toys and games consoles to support children being treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Mr Merten was found to be a match for Jack after searching the international database of donors.
He said: "When you think of what little it takes out of your body to save someone else's life, then it's easy and good to do."
Mrs Withers encouraged people to sign up to the register, adding: "To see him [Jack] well, cured, sitting here, should be enough to make anybody think 'we'll get our self on that register'."
Jack, now 13, added: "Do it because you'll be helping lives like mine."
For more information on joining the register visit www.dkms.org.uk/en/register-now
