Clatterbridge patient shares his story on how stem cell treatment changed his life

A Wirral IT Analyst who was among the first to be treated at a newly opened cancer hospital has been speaking about his experience, as the hospital itself celebrates five years since it opened its doors to patients.

Adam Swanick, 34, from The Wirral, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in February 2020 after experiencing symptoms including night sweats and severe bruising.

Adam received a stem cell transplant at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s blood cancer unit, which at the time was situated within the Royal Liverpool Hospital, whilst the new cancer centre was being built.

He continued his treatment in the new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool, which this week celebrates its fifth anniversary, and was among the first patients to be cared for there.

Adam explained:

“My diagnosis floored me. I’d initially brushed off my symptoms but when I had to go to A&E, doctors knew they were dealing with something serious.

“All I could think about was getting through treatment and being in the right place and surrounded by the right people to get me better.”

Adam explains:

“We were just hearing about COVID at the time, but with what I was dealing with, it was at the back of my mind”.

Adam was admitted to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust in March 2020 to begin several rounds of chemotherapy to prepare his body for a stem cell transplant.

He had his last in-person visit with family on 22^nd March, just before the national lockdown began. “I didn’t see my family again face to face until June. It was hard to be apart from them but the team on the ward were always there to talk to.”

Adam was the very last patient to receive a stem cell transplant in The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s previous blood cancer ward. His Dad Peter was his donor. “My Dad was so pleased he was a match for me; it was a way that he and my family could do something within their control to help me. My parents and friends were the best support network anyone could have asked for.”

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre opened a brand new state-of-the-art cancer hospital in June 2020. The hospital opened its doors to inpatients on 27^th June. The blood cancer unit transferred few months later, in August 2020.

Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool’s location next to the new Royal Liverpool Hospital and the University, has ensured the most unwell patients benefit from quick on-site access to key medical and surgical specialties. This is important because many people with cancer are also living with other serious health conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease.

Since opening, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool has treated over 55,000 individual patients and conducted nearly 450 stem cell transplants.

“I spent a lot of time looking at the new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool being finished from where I was being treated in the building opposite. When I got in there after my transplant, the facilities were incredible. For someone like me with such a weak immune system, having my own room was so reassuring.”

But whilst the facilities may have been new, Adam still experienced the same expert care he’d always had. “The building was new and the ward was amazing but the staff never changed. I saw the same people in the new hospital and that was so reassuring, having those friendly faces there and experts who knew me – everyone from the doctors to the cleaning staff. That was the most important thing.”

Having a stem cell transplant means a patient has a new immune system, which can be very weak to begin with and leave people prone to illness and infection. Adam has had numerous hospital admissions since his transplant, including a stint in intensive care when he contracted COVID in 2022.

Thankfully, Adam is now cancer-free and can live his life to its fullest, including travelling, baking, playing golf and spending time with his family.

“I remember sitting in my hospital room at the new Clatterbridge, looking over to the Wirral coastline, imagining how it would be to walk along the front at New Brighton again. And now, I get to do it whenever I want.

“Five years ago, the team at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre saved my life and even now when I go for check ups, the team make the process as easy as possible. It was a tough journey but I wouldn’t change a thing. The people I worked with to get better are some of the best I’ve ever met and I’ll always be grateful for the support they gave me.”

Joan Spencer is the Chief Executive of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust. She says:

“Opening a new hospital in Liverpool was indeed a pivotal moment for us in expanding our network of care for patients like Adam. This expansion now includes dedicated diagnostic testing centres and chemotherapy delivered in patients’ homes, among other resources. Our Liverpool hospital has empowered us to offer more specialised services, such as the groundbreaking CAR-T therapy for blood cancer patients.

“Moreover, our collaboration with neighbouring hospitals, including the University Hospital Liverpool Group has significantly bolstered our research initiatives. This has enabled us to conduct first-in-human trials for innovative cancer treatments.

“The opening of the hospital was merely the beginning; the extensive efforts that have been put in before and after have been remarkable. I am immensely proud of our team and their unwavering commitment to supporting people with cancer in the region.”

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