Queenslander with acute leukaemia races to find stem cell donor as time runs out

Greg Mason, a 57-year-old Queensland man, has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and now faces a race against time to find a matching stem cell donor who could be the difference between life and death.

Mason discovered the diagnosis after several weeks of unexplained back pain and fatigue. His wife, Julie Mason, said the pain began in mid-July and spread to his legs within a week. After two weeks of seeking answers, a routine blood test at Redland Hospital in Brisbane revealed the leukaemia. The couple said they presented to an emergency department on a Saturday and were told on Monday that he had leukaemia; Mrs. Mason said doctors told them he could have been dead within five days if they had not sought care.

Mason now requires a stem cell transfusion within the next three months to have the best chance of recovery. The family has joined thousands of Australians urging more people to register as donors with the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood amid what Lifeblood and patient advocates describe as a critical shortage of registry donors.

Donors first undergo a blood test to determine whether the proteins on their stem cells—human leukocyte antigens used for matching—are compatible with a recipient. Lifeblood and other registries prioritise donors aged 18 to 35, and young men are often considered among the best candidates for matching. If a volunteer is selected, the collection commonly used is peripheral blood stem cell donation, in which blood is drawn from one arm, processed through a machine that separates stem cells, and returned to the donor through the other arm.

Mrs. Mason said the couple have tried to remain positive since the diagnosis and have used social media to raise awareness and encourage registration. Her posts have drawn thousands of reactions and pledges from people who said they would join the donor registry. "How amazing would it feel to save a life? What a great gift you could give someone," she said.

She also urged people not to ignore persistent or unusual symptoms, saying her husband had previously dismissed fatigue. "If you've got some unexplained bruising, weird aches and pains or even if you're more tired than usual, get a blood test," Mrs. Mason said. "It could save your life."

The family’s appeal coincides with Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month in September, when patient groups and health services typically increase campaigns to boost donor registration and public awareness. Lifeblood and other registries receive requests for donors from patients both domestically and internationally; a compatible match can come from anywhere in the world.

Medical teams treating AML often seek a matched donor for a stem cell transplant, which can repopulate the patient’s bone marrow and immune system after intensive chemotherapy or other preparative regimens. Transplants are time-sensitive, and finding a compatible donor can be challenging because successful matches depend on specific immune-system markers that vary across populations.

The Masons’ story underscores two linked issues: the importance of early medical evaluation for persistent or unusual symptoms, and the ongoing need for a diverse and sizeable donor registry. The family has appealed to the public to register with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood and to consider donation if called.

Health services recommend that anyone willing to join a donor registry visit Lifeblood’s official website or contact local donation centres for eligibility screening and instructions. The Masons said they hope their public appeal will prompt more people to register and ultimately produce the stem cell match Greg Mason needs within the limited time frame his medical team has set.