A young mum who received lifesaving cancer treatment in Manchester has welcomed a “miracle” baby after fearing she may be infertile.
26-year-old Sammy Gray nearly died from cancer three years ago not long after welcoming her first child, but after receiving pioneering CAR-T therapy to save her life at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, she has welcomed her second child and is believed to be one of the first patients in the UK to give birth following the innovative treatment that “cleared her body of cancer”.
Sammy said that if it wasn’t for the treatment and expert care she received at The Christie, “neither of us would be here now.”
Back in January 2018, shortly after Sammy had her first daughter Harper, she began to experience chest pains and night sweats that doctors initially thought could have been due to a blood clot related to the birth, but they later discovered a mass on her chest, which lead to a devastating diagnosis of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma – a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.
Sammy, then just 21, sadly “missed out on motherhood” as she underwent a range of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, which were initially shrinking the tumour.
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But the cancer unfortunately became more aggressive and progressed.
By June 2019, when faced with a very poor prognosis, Sammy’s only remaining option was CAR-T therapy – a new treatment only approved by the NHS in 2018 that involves reprogramming the patient’s own immune cells, called T cells, which are then used to recognise and destroy their cancer.
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Sammy Gray received pioneering CAR-T therapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust / Credit: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Sammy underwent the gruelling therapy back in September 2019 – which involved her having to spend weeks in hospital while her body’s own immune system attacked the cancer, and unfortunately made her very ill in the process.
“I wasn’t petrified of dying, but I was petrified of leaving Harper behind,” Sammy explained.
“It has been an incredibly tough few years and I missed out on so much of my first taste of motherhood when Harper was a baby as the chemotherapy made me very ill, so I couldn’t look after my baby daughter, and Daley, my fiancé, had to be a full-time dad.”
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Thankfully though, the treatment was successful, and her scans at three, six, and 12 months were all clear and showed no signs of cancer.
Although, Sammy then faced a different challenge.
Doctors warned that the chemotherapy could have resulted in early menopause, meaning she may not be able to have more children, and after not having periods for a year, she did fear she’d become infertile – but as Sammy and her partner desperately wanted a second child to complete their family, she was approved by the NHS for IVF fertility treatment.
The couple had just started the process when they conceived naturally, and two and half years after she endured the CAR-T treatment, the couple welcomed their baby son, Walter, back in February.
Sammy and her partner Daley welcomed their “miracle” baby son, Walter, back in February / Credit: Kelly Couttie Photography
“I’m determined to make the most of every minute with Walter,” Sammy continued.
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“The sleepless nights don’t bother me at all, and I appreciate all the little things. I’m enjoying the time with him that cancer stole with Harper. Walter is our little miracle.
“If it wasn’t for the CAR-T treatment at The Christie, neither of us would be here now.”
Speaking on Sammy’s incredible recovery, Professor Adrian Bloor – Consultant Haematologist at The Christie – added: “Sammy’s cancer was very difficult to treat and there were very few treatment options.
“CAR-T therapy is a relatively new treatment for some aggressive blood cancers, where the patient’s immune cells are ‘trained’ to fight the cancer, [and] Sammy was one of our first CAR-T patients, and at that time the youngest.
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“The treatment saved her life and it’s fantastic that she remains in remission and has had a baby.
“We all wish her and her family all the best for the future.”
A Manchester dentist to the stars is offering an exclusive discount for their hugely popular treatment
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
A designer dentist in Manchester is offering composite bond treatment with a huge saving this month.
Rüh Dental, hailed as one of the top dental surgeries in Manchester and one which counts popular celebs like Helen Flanagan and Molly-Mae Hague as their patients, is offering readers a healthy 10% off composite bonding treatment this month.
The boutique surgery leads the way in creating a perfect smile that both stands out in a crowd but is effortlessly natural.
The whole process can be done in as little as 60 minutes too, depending on how much work you need.
If composite bonding is something you’re new to, it’s a straightforward, smile-perfecting procedure that is designed to give natural results and improve your grin, all whilst preserving the patient’s own teeth.
We caught up with leading dentist Dr Billal Arshad from Rüh, who is an expert in his field and is famed for his dental diligence and artistic flair.
He tells us “Composite bonding is a simple but effective treatment where we sculpt composite onto the teeth to make them look aesthetically pleasing.
“It’s a painless procedure that gives a natural look and lasts up to seven years without damaging the patient’s own teeth.”
You can find more about composite bonding from our Q&A session with Dr Arshad here.
Whilst Rüh Dental Manchester is also known for other treatments like their Invisalign treatments, general dentistry, veneers, etc, this offer is exclusively for composite bonding and for our readers. Quote TheManc10 when you call 0161 348 8738 to book.
Watch Lowry’s ‘Going to the Match’ come to life at this new immersive experience in Salford
Danny Jones
L. S. Lowry is one of Greater Manchester’s most famous sons, so much so that he has two statues, a hotel, as well as an entire theatre named after him, and now you can see one of his greatest works brought to life as part of an immersive new art experience over Salford Quays.
Just across from the main MediaCity campus, The Lowry Theatre is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a whole host of new additions, including what looks to be an exciting series of immersive gallery experiences entitled ‘LOWRY 360’.
Although world-renowned creative studio Layers of Reality has developed the large interactive exhibition room to bring almost any manner of artwork to life, the first couldn’t be anything else besides what is widely considered the local artist’s most iconic piece, Going to the Match.
Put simply, the new installation will fully surround audiences with the sights and sounds of Going to the Match, transporting them into the painting before they experience the original artwork firsthand.
This ambitious and starting new sensory experience has come to fruition thanks to the Law Family Charitable Foundation (LFCF), who support a wide variety of artistic, educational, cultural; health-based and environmentally-driven institutions like The Lowry.
It was LFCF who made the sizeable donation necessary for the theatre to purchase Lowry’s legendary depiction of matchday crowds and Northern life for a total of £7.8 million back in October 2022, bringing back home to Salford permanently.
Speaking on the immersive Lowry exhibit, Lowry’s CEO Julia Fawcett said: “This is one of the most ambitious and exciting projects we have ever undertaken.
“We’re transforming our gallery space in partnership with a world-class creative studio to create an unforgettable experience that will bring new audiences to L.S. Lowry’s work. We can’t thank Andrew Law enough for helping us realise this vision”
The best part of all is, since their goal in bringing the painting to Salford in the first place was for as many people to see it as possible, LOWRY 360 will remain completely FREE to access for its entire duration. Picture this but stood right in the middle of it as ‘The Matchstick Man’s world comes to life around you:
Layers of Reality is known for creating virtual and immersive experiences revolving around everything from Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali to Tutankhamun, so you can trust in the pedigree being brought to the Lowry Theatre.
Moreover, this isn’t the only thing on at the Lowry during their 25th-anniversary programme by any means: families will be drawn to a free exhibition of Quentin Blake’s illustrations, featuring his most beloved characters and even a special portrait of the man himself drawn by Blake.
The Promenade Gallery will be transformed into a large-scale mural by French artist, Camille Walala; Manchester-born writer Jeannette Winterson will be hosting an insightful lecture on what makes Lowry’s world and history so special.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to see the new production of James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning play, Dear England, with a rewritten ending following the European Championships in 2024. There’s all this and plenty more to be found on the Lowry events page.
Touching on the rest of the 25th-anniversary events, Fawcett went on to add: “We’re deeply committed to reaching out to the local community and our learning and engagement programmes have been at the centre of our mission for the past two and a half decades.
“Gods of Salford takes this to a new level, combining social impact with the creation of an ambitious, challenging and professional production. It will foster new skills, create pathways into the arts for disadvantaged young people and sell tickets!”
“Over the past 25 years, Lowry has been on a remarkable journey. An ambitious plan to create a new home for arts and culture in the North West at the turn of the millennium is today the most visited attraction in Manchester and the cultural heart of one of Europe’s most successful regeneration projects.
“We are marking the moment with a spectacular programme that showcases the very best art and theatre. 2025 promises to be Lowry’s biggest and best year as we set our sights on the next 25.”
Hear, hear. LOWRY 360 opens on Saturday 3 May, so make sure to visit when you can – you can grab your free tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd May 2022 
