At just 27 years old, Moonii was a thriving entrepreneur, running multiple successful businesses and even winning prestigious awards for his achievements. A dedicated gym-goer and football crazy, he was the picture of health, and on top of the world—until November 2022, when flu-like symptoms took hold and wouldn’t go away. Then, everything changed dramatically when he suddenly lost sight in his right eye, he couldn’t walk without support, his breathing took a major hit and was looking extremely pale.

On 20th December 2022, he was rushed to A&E at Royal Stoke Hospital, where blood tests revealed an alarming reality—his red blood cell count had plummeted to 33, while his white blood cell count had skyrocketed to 204. That same day, Moonii was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), a type of blood cancer that progresses rapidly. His prognosis was devastating: doctors told him he had just two days to two weeks to live without treatment. Now it was the battle against time.

A Fight for Survival

As his body and vital organs began shutting down, doctors placed Moonii in an induced coma, giving his family the chance to say their goodbyes. “I felt like my family were coming to say their final farewells, one by one everyone was crying,” while in and out of weak sleep as he recalls. He went into induced coma on Christmas Eve which he remained in a coma for 31 days.

However, after 2-3 weeks, doctors saw encouraging signs, however while on life support it was slowly killing him. There was 50/50 chance that if life support machine is turned off he won’t make it but keeping him on would also mean he won’t make it therefore and his family, alongside his medical team, made the huge decision to bring him out of the coma. He responded and the fight back began. He then spent the following two months in critical care, where he had to relearn how to walk, eat, drink, write and talk again. “It all happened so quickly, this was unpredictable” he says. “I went from 85kg to 44kg in a matter of months.”

A Treatment Journey

While still in critical care, Moonii began chemotherapy. His body responded extremely well to treatment, but the journey was far from easy. Over the course of 2023, he endured five rounds of chemotherapy, with each round leading to a sepsis infection. Despite these challenges, by September 2023, he had completed his treatment and was declared in remission.

However, his relief was short-lived. In December 2023, just three months later, he relapsed—the AML had returned. This time, doctors knew his best chance for survival was a bone marrow transplant.

A Life-Saving Transplant

Between December 2022 and May 2024, Moonii spent 450 days in Stoke Hospital and another 60 days in Birmingham Queen Elizabeth hospital. After his relapse, he was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a stem cell transplant. As one of ten siblings, three of siblings were a match—but the doctors selected the healthiest candidate, his sister.

Before receiving the transplant, Moonii underwent full-body radiation therapy and full dose chemotherapy which had a 60% chance of mortality. He got through treatment and then, in April 30th 2024, he received his sister’s bone marrow stem cells, marking a crucial turning point in his fight against AML. By June 2024, a bone marrow biopsy confirmed no detectable leukaemia cells and 99.9% donor cells—the transplant had been a success.

“My sister saved my life—she is my hero,” Moonii says with deep gratitude. He says it again, “my sister is my hero”.

The Importance of Research and Giving Back

Reflecting on his journey, Moonii acknowledges how far medical research has come, and the crucial role it played in saving his life. “Without the research into stem cell transplants, I don’t know where I’d be today,” he says. He now hopes to give back by volunteering for Cure Leukaemia, raising awareness, and supporting others who face similar battles.

From having just days to live to now being in remission, Moonii’s resilience and the advances in treatment have given him a second chance—one that he plans to make the most of. He is still undergoing maintenance treatment which will continue.

To anyone who would like to speak to Moonii about anything, you can find him on his socials @moneymoonii.