Leeanne is living the life of her dreams, thanks to the generous stranger who saved her life!

Leeanne Hester was amazingly close to making her two biggest dreams come true: She was finishing up her public health degree, and she and her boyfriend were shopping for engagement rings. But then she was diagnosed with cancer—and she would need a miracle . . .

Standing in the doctor’s office assisting a patient, Leeanne Hester suddenly grew so lightheaded, the room began to spin. “Excuse me,” she managed to say. At 23, Leeanne was working while completing her graduate degree in public health at George Washington University. But recently, she had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease.

“Maybe I’m starting a flare,” the Washington, D.C., student sighed as a nurse now took her blood pressure. But deep down, Leeanne worried: What if there’s something even worse going on?

The “no crying” policy Desperate

for answers, Leeanne demanded further testing, which revealed the shattering truth: She had acute myeloid leukemia (AML) a rare and aggressive blood cancer.

“You need to start chemotherapy immediately,” the hematologist said.

Though terrified, Leeanne numbly began packing to leave grad school and move back home to Columbus, Ohio.

“You’re going to beat this. And we’re going to get married,” her boyfriend, Jimmy Mako, insisted.

Ever since they’d met at Wittenberg University—leeanne working as a student trainer where Jimmy was completing a month-long rotation to become a physical therapist —the two had been madly in love.

It seemed unreal that just a few days earlier, they’d visited jewelers so Leeanne could point out designs she liked for an engagement ring.

Swallowing hard, Leeanne looked into Jimmy’s eyes.

“Please don’t propose until we know I’ll be okay,” she said.

Though reluctant, Jimmy gave his promise.

While chemotherapy alone is usually the standard AML treatment, it was discovered Leeanne had a gene mutation that put her at great risk for relapse.

“Your best fighting chance is a bone marrow transplant,” a specialist determined.

“And if I don’t have one?” Leeanne asked.

The doctor looked down. “Five years, tops.”

Five years is not enough time to make my dreams come true. Not enough time for the rest of my life! Leeanne panicked, shattered. Learning the news, Leeanne’s parents and Jimmy stepped forward to donate, yet they weren’t compatible. And though siblings are often the best donors, Leeanne’s only sister wasn’t a match either. As Leeanne’s name was placed on the donor registry and she began arduous chemotherapy, Jimmy was beside her every day.

“I’ll do that for you, beautiful,” he said, shaving Leeanne’s head as her hair began falling out. He even offered to shave his own head.

“Don’t do that. Remember, I’m the one who has to look at you,” Leeanne teased.

When Leeanne spent that New Year’s Eve in the hospital, they still dressed up. And regardless of whatever happened and whatever doctors said, Leeanne told everyone, “I’ve instituted a ‘ no crying’ policy in my room.”

To stay hopeful, she kept to that herself. Still, Leeanne wondered: Will this transplant ever come?

Leeanne’s hero

Finally,

four long months into her treatment, they found a match—in Israel!

Soon after, the donor’s bone marrow was collected and flown to the Columbus, Ohio, hospital where Leeanne was being treated. As she watched the healthy marrow drip into her veins, Leeanne thanked God. And thank you, whoever you are, for this second chance!

Unhappily, Leeanne developed graft-versus-host disease—a severe case of rejection in which the transplanted donor cells attack the recipient’s organs. But she refused to give up. And as the weeks passed, she not only grew stronger but was declared cancer-free!

Soon after, Jimmy fulfilled his promise and got down on one knee. “Leeanne, will you marry me?” “Yes!” she happily cried. As they made wedding plans, Leeanne felt overwhelming gratitude toward her donor. And a year post-transplant, she was able to learn he was Jeka Galinsky, a

22-year-old Israeli soldier.

I work as a mechanic on helicopters used in rescue missions. Donating bone marrow was my own rescue mission, Jeka wrote.

Without you, Jimmy and I wouldn’t have the gift of growing old together! Leeanne typed.

As a wedding gift, Leanne’s family arranged for a surprise guest.

“It’s you! You’re here!” Leeanne marveled, wrapping her arms around Jeka.

Today, Leeanne remains cancerfree and is studying to become a nurse practitioner.

“Having Jeka there on our special day gave a wholeness to it and reminded me just how blessed I am,” she beams. “Cancer is really ugly and hard. But the love and resilience people show in the face of it is really beautiful!”

There is no medicine hope.” like ORISON SWETT MARDEN