Brave cancer survivor Julie has found her ‘identical twin’ in her donor ... they have the same name, smile and colour of eyes

Professor Steve Marsh.

P“So it was no surprise when I was called by Anthony Nolan with the news that I was needed.

“They wanted to make sure I was still keen to donate.

“After going to London to donate, I didn’t hear any news for months. “I w o n d e re d h ow the cancer patient had got on. “Then I received a letter from her out of the blue saying all was well.

“We texted, emailed and called each other and eventually met up in London. “It’s like we had known each other IT’S thought that stem cells hold the key to future medical treatment as they are capable of becoming any cell in the body.

That fact has been underlined by groundbreaking work carried out by Scottish scientists, paving the way for new osteoporosis treatments. The for years. We even have the same sense of humour and both find the similarities funny. “Yet we are not related at all. “I could tell that Julie was thinking the same.

“It is fascinating how you have someone who is virtually identical genetically, look the same and be complete strangers with different parents.

“It is just one of those bizarre quirks of nature, I guess.”

Gran- of- two Julie is now back at her job as a classroom assistant. She said: “Julie saved my life. “But I’ve also made a new friend – for life.” Julie said her