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.”
Manchester firefighter surprises partner with proposal during new recruits parade
Danny Jones
We’re a sucker for a wholesome little video as we know you are, which is exactly why we thought of you lot when we came across this video of a newly graduated Manchester firefighter surprising his partner with a heartwarming proposal.
Just the kind of heartwarming that usually sets us off after a long week at work.
The clip shared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Thursday, 25 April, shows Manc fireman James popping the question to his girlfriend sat unassumingly in the audience at a recent passing out ceremony.
Pass out ceremonies are when trainees go from recruits to fully qualified firefighters after completing their intensive operational training. It’s a long-standing tradition in the emergency services where friends and family gather to celebrate their achievements – it’s almost like it’s the perfect opportunity…
Watch as a Manc firefighter turns his passing out ceremony into a surprise proposal.
As you can see, since the graduates are usually the centre of attention, James couldn’t help but size his moment and instead of walking and lining up normally like everyone else, he decided to head straight over to his wife-to-be and get down on one knee.
You already know the rest.
Welling up immediately and barely able to remove her hands from her face, Melissa nods and says yes as the crowd cheers and the pair share a smooch.
Writing on social media, the GMFRS said: “We managed to capture a VERY special moment at our new recruits pass out parade today… Congratulations to James and Melissa!”, adding, “Certainly one way to start your new career”.
If we don’t see all the groomsmen dressed as firefighters on a random viral video sometime soon we’re going to be gutted.
All the best to the happy couple and if you’ve got any more lovely clips like this to send in so we can make ourselves cry (in a good way), you know what to do.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
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Peter Kay’s statement in full as his Co-op Live gigs are postponed for SECOND time
Daisy Jackson
Peter Kay has issued a statement after his two gigs at Co-op Live were rescheduled – again.
The Bolton-born comedian was supposed to officially open the huge new Manchester venue last week, but ‘power supply issues’ forced it to be rescheduled.
He was then supposed to perform on Monday and Tuesday of next week instead, but these two shows have been pushed back even further.
Peter Kay has now issued a statement addressing the postponement, saying it’s ‘very disappointing’.
He also said: “I know, I can’t believe it either.”
He’s even amended his own tour poster to add the disclaimer: “(If they actually open the place).”
The star joked that he was now the ‘ninth artist in the world’ to play there.
Can always count on a comic to make the joke everyone else is thinking.
The legendary comic wrote: “To everybody with tickets, my apologies once again but unfortunately the Co-op Live still isn’t ready and so, as yet, remains untested for a large-scale audience.
“Consequently, they are having to reschedule my two shows yet again (I know I can’t believe it either).
“The first available dates the shows can reschedule to are as follows: Mon 29th April to Thurs 23rd May, Tues 30th April to Frid 24th May.
“Tickets will be transferred, or refunds given if the new dates aren’t suitable.
“It’s very disappointing but your safety is important, and I won’t compromise that.”
Co-op Live said in a statement: “Since making the difficult decision to postpone the live shows at Co-op Live due to take place this week, we have been undertaking an extensive protocol of testing critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans.”
They’ve also made the rather bold decision to once again assure fans that the next raft of shows now set to be their opening gigs – big dates from Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Olivia Rodrigo – are still set to go ahead as scheduled.
Touch wood.
Today's announcement comes with reassurance that we welcome fans to Co-op Live from Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on 1 May and into Olivia Rodrigo from 3 May 2024.
This could back to bite them. It already has once before.
“To ensure that we can run all shows safely, regretfully we have now had to take the decision to reschedule the planned The Black Keys and Peter Kay shows.
“Both The Black Keys and Peter Kay have graciously agreed to reschedule their shows. The Black Keys will now perform on 15 May 2024, and Peter Kay will now perform on 23 and 24 May 2024.
“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend.
“We deeply appreciate the impact this will have on excited fans, and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause. Rescheduling Peter Kay and The Black Keys will give us the extra time we need to continue testing enhanced emergency communications thoroughly.
“This is vital to satisfy the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols that are necessary for a venue of this size to ensure that our fans, artists and staff have the safest experience possible.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd May 2022 
