Man survived stage four cancer after stem cell transplant

Dr Yani Berdeni was 30 years old when his persistent cough was diagnosed as lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system.

The engineering maths lecturer, who grew up in Bradford, was told the worrying news just before Christmas in 2019.

Four rounds of chemotherapy and doses of radiotherapy later, the prognosis looked bright.

Dr Yani Berdeni with his partner Ruby during his treatment (Image: UGC)

But he started suffering from a new and “excruciating” back pain in the summer.

Doctors discovered there was a large cancerous tumour squeezing his spine.

He could barely walk when he was offered a stem cell transplant with a 50 per cent success rate.

Dr Yani Berdeni, pictured (Image: UGC)

“The whole experience was surreal – you just don’t expect it at 30. But finding out about the stage four cancer was the hardest thing,” Dr Berdeni said.

“I needed a stem cell transplant and was told it only had a 50 per cent success rate. They took my stem cells and then gave me so much chemo that I would’ve died, but then they injected the cells back into my blood to regrow the bone marrow.”

The treatment made Dr Berdeni so weak that a cold could have killed him. 

With Covid still raging, his partner, Ruby Hodgson, would read him books via video call.

In July 2021, he was given the all-clear. Not long afterwards he was made a lecturer at the University of Bristol, where he had been studying and working since 2012.

Two-and-a-half years on from getting the all-clear, he is ready to take on a new challenge.

“After the treatment I could barely walk,” he said.

“I was 10kg heavier because of bloating from the treatment and I would jog for 500 metres and be exhausted. I just wanted to get back to feeling healthy and normal again.”

Dr Yani Berdeni, pictured on a run (Image: University of Bristol)

He was helped back into running by 5k Your Way, an inclusive running community that helps those affected by cancer.

Dr Berdeni, who was a keen runner before his diagnosis, is now preparing to take on the London Marathon this April.

He is no stranger to the 26.2-mile long circuit, having entered the London Marathon in 2013.

He was heading towards an impressive sub-three hour time when he collapsed 800 metres from the end.

“When I came round I thought I was in Bradford, where I grew up,” Dr Berdeni said.

“So, yeah, I’ve got unfinished business at the London Marathon.”

The 34-year-old is raising money for the blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, which runs a stem cell donor register and carries out research into the disease.

“It will be quite emotional and a bit overwhelming,” Dr Berdeni said.

“I really just want to make it round and raise money for Anthony Nolan. They need donors under 30 and you really could save someone’s life. If my cancer came back, I would need to use someone else’s stem cells.”

People can donate to the JustGiving page by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/running-london-for-people-with-blood-cancer