'I can't thank them enough': Oxfordshire cancer patient records video for NHS

  • Watch the video report by ITV Meridian's Mel Bloor

A man from Oxfordshire has thanked the NHS after his leukemia care involved a combination of more than 40 treatments.

Steve Schmalenbach, a crane operator, was 49-years-old when he received his diagnosis.

Having previously served in the RAF, he thought of himself as fit and healthy.

Steve said over a period of two weeks he had started to "go down hill".

He said: "When I started to become out of breath, alarm bells started ringing. I went to my doctor and luckily she took a blood test immediately. All my blood levels had dropped through the floor."

  • Steve Schmalenbach

Steve underwent a combination of treatments at The Brodey Cancer Centre in Banbury and the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

This included 11 biopsies, 9 spinal chemos, 19 blood transfusions and two plasma transfusions and a bone marrow transplant.

Steve's brother, Martin Schmalenbach - who lives in America - was found to be a match for the transplant.

Martin Schmalenbach donated his stem cells in San Diego for his brother, Steve

Martin donated his stem cells from a hospital in San Diego, which were couriered 6,000 miles to Steve who was waiting for the delivery at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

Martin said it was "amazing" to see how quickly the stem cells were delivered.

He said: "I was at San Diego airport to fly back to Phoenix, and I got a video of my sister-in-law pressing the start button on the pump to put my stem cells into Steve's body."

"He got them before I could even leave San Diego."

Steve Schmalenbach received the stem cells in Oxfordshire quickly after Martin's donation

Steve is in remission and is shielding at home, with plans to return to work on a part-time basis soon.

He recorded a video to thank the NHS for providing his live saving treatment while dealing with the pressures of a pandemic.

Steve said: "They do it for the love of the job and the care of the patients. It's not for any financial gain. They've done a fantastic job with me and I'll never be thankful enough."

  • WATCH: Steve's video thanking the NHS

Professor Chris Cunningham, Churchill Hospital said the video is "gratifying".

He said: "I think we're on an individual level, often thanked and appreciated by patients."

"I hope that those who aren't patient-facing also get that gratification when they hear of positive stories such as this one."

Steve would like his story to reassure people that help and support is out there, despite the current demands on the NHS.