Stem cell transplant saves the life of a UChicago Medicine leukemia patient — and his donor, too

Shortly after Marquis Williams received a stem cell transplant for his tough-to-treat leukemia, he thanked his donor for saving his life.

And, in an unusual twist, she later thanked him for saving her life.

Williams, 34, a real estate appraiser from the south suburbs, was told that his only hope for long-term remission from leukemia — a type of blood cancer — was a blood stem cell transplant. After a yearlong wait for a donor match, he received a successful transplant at the University of Chicago Medicine in June 2019.

Williams was later offered the opportunity to meet his donor, Catherine “Renee” Smith, a 41-year-old truck driver and mother of three from Decatur, Georgia. Their first video call in 2020 was filled with tears, gratitude and family introductions. 

They have stayed in touch every week since.

During that first call, Smith was facing difficult financial and family issues, and admits she was “ready to give up on life” and “wanted to just lay down and die.” But after she talked to Williams about his cancer journey, her perspective shifted.

“I remember asking Marquis, ‘Where did you get the strength? How did you keep fighting?’” Smith said. “I thought, ‘This person is really out there fighting for his life ­—­ why can’t I? If he can go through these problems in life, why am I ready to give up?’ I thank God for allowing him to come into my life. 

"He gave me the courage to keep pushing and fighting.”

The donation vacation

Although Smith grew up poor, living in a housing project, her mother instilled the importance of small acts of kindness.

“She told me, ‘By helping others, you’d one day get blessings in return,’” Smith said. “And she was right.”

When Smith learned she could save a life during her employer’s stem cell donation drive, she signed up.

Gift of Life Marrow Registry, the nonprofit group that facilitates stem cell and bone marrow donations, covered all the costs related to Smith’s donation — a medical exam, blood tests and a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., for her and her son. 

Specially trained staff gave her Neupogen injections to mobilize the stem cells in her bloodstream. The stem cells were retrieved a few days later through a routine blood draw.

The injections caused temporary aches, but Smith said it was well worth it.

“I got a vacation and I saved a life,” she said.

Williams learned he had leukemia in 2017, two days before his 27th birthday. He collapsed at work, and while leukemia wasn't to blame, the blood tests revealed he had a very high white blood cell count. Williams was referred to UChicago Medicine, where he was eventually diagnosed with cancer and began treatment.

Shortly after, he faced more trauma. Williams was sitting just 20 feet away from a gunman who opened fire at a video game conference in Jacksonville, Florida. Williams escaped with minor injuries, but his cancer soon returned and he was added to the donor list for a stem cell transplant.

Shortage of Black stem cell donors

A blood cancer patient’s best chance of finding a match is from a donor with a shared ethnicity, according to Gift of Life. 

However, there are relatively few Black stem cell donors. It’s a large reason why only 29% of Black patients needing a stem cell transplant find a matching donor (compared with 79% of white patients), Gift of Life reports. Other ethnic and multiracial groups face a similar challenge.

“We were very, very lucky to find Marquis a donor,” said Williams’ UChicago Medicine oncologist, Wendy Stock, MD. “For many of our Black patients, we look in the registry and there are no potential matches.”

Adding to the challenge, a patient’s cancer needs to be in remission and their health must be good in order to receive the transplant, Stock said.

“Time is limited,” Stock said. “Leukemia can reoccur while you’re waiting for a donor. And once the cancer comes back, sometimes you can’t get it into remission again.”

Blooming friendship and message

In the five years since his stem cell transplant, Williams got married, started a career in real estate, and launched a podcast, “U Stuck Wit Me!” with his wife, Taylor. 

Williams isn’t fully cancer-free, and he takes medication to minimize the risk of leukemia recurrence in his bone marrow. But Stock is optimistic about his prognosis.

“He’s done exceptionally well,” she said. “His bone marrow is clear now, so that’s great.”

Williams and Smith talk regularly about life and their shared love of food, offering each other encouragement. Smith refers to Williams as her “stem cell brother.” He describes her as “a very beautiful soul.” 

They met in person for the first time in June 2024 at Gift of Life’s “One Huge Night” event in Atlanta. 

“We’re making plans for her to come to Chicago and visit so we can hang out again,” Williams said.

Both advocate the need for stem cell donors. Williams assisted with a donor campaign at his church and raises awareness on social media. Smith puts a Gift of Life inflatable plastic swab (a simple cheek swab is performed to join the registry) in her truck's window, prompting conversations.

Smith and Stock were both invited to Marquis’ wedding.

“It’s every oncologist’s dream to be part of these life cycle events," Stock said. "Marquis is living a full, meaningful life, and that’s just what we want.” 

To donate or join the registry, order a kit from giftoflife.org/swab.