How a stem cell donor made Adam’s life possible

For Adam, a cellist and music teacher from Victoria, life has always been shaped by sound. Music is where he finds meaning, whether performing for film and television, teaching students, or taking the stage.

The rhythm of Adam’s life was disrupted in 2013, when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His first round of chemotherapy brought hope, and for a while he settled into a careful, cautious version of normal. But in 2018, everything shifted again. The cancer returned — slowly at first, then more aggressively.

He underwent more chemo, hoping it would hold the illness at bay. When it failed, he was granted access to an experimental “super drug.” It offered a fragile kind of relief. No one knew how long it would work, leaving Adam living every day between hope and uncertainty.

A stem cell transplant soon became his best chance at survival. But even that path was filled with waiting and worry. Several potential donors fell through, each one a small heartbreak. Then finally, a match appeared — a stranger whose cells could save his life.

Today, Adam speaks with profound gratitude for the donor who made it possible. Their decision to become a stem cell donor has given him a second chance at life. It’s made so many things he always dreamed of possible, like returning to work and visiting his son in Montreal.

It also meant he could use his passion for music to share that gratitude. Lifeblood created the Unlikely Version of Sia’s ‘Unstoppable’ to bring together real recipients, like Adam, to showcase the many lives made possible by donation and inspiring more people in Australia to give.

For Adam, being part of the project was eye opening. It pushed him beyond his classical background, connected him with musicians from different genres, and introduced him to other recipients whose stories echo his own. “It gave me the opportunity to meet other recipients and hear their stories,” he says.

Adam knows it was an unknown donor’s generosity that made his life possible. He hopes more people share that generosity. When you give blood, you can also ask to join the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, helping ensure people like Adam have the chance to find a lifesaving match.

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