MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As Leukemia Awareness Month ends, the mission towards a cure continues for Bob Thompson-Gee.
Diagnosed with leukemia in 2022, Thompson-Gee is now in remission. He said part of his recovery is as simple as walking. He joined the Light the Night Walk with Blood Cancer United, an organization that supports families and raises money for cancer research.
"I’m 69 now…69…I know I don’t look it. There you go," Thompson-Gee said with a laugh.
His path to remission was not easy. Two scheduled bone marrow transplants fell through.
"It was such a journey because at first we have this match. 'Let’s schedule your bone marrow,' and about a week before it’s supposed to happen, we get a call, ‘I’m sorry it’s falling through,’" he said.
The third match was successful. Thompson-Gee’s donor was not across the globe but just 30 minutes away. Patrick Thompson, no relation, had signed up for the registry in 2016 as a junior at UW-Madison.
"I was raised to always keep others in mind and help others when they’re down. I had a chance, a unique opportunity to do that and I got to see it all the way to the end," Patrick said.
"I’m a man of faith. I don’t take this lightly: he’s my savior. He’s the guy that made it possible to live,” Thompson-Gee said of Thompson.
Learn how to contribute to Blood Cancer United by clicking here.