In a heartwarming story, a German man named Marius Werner saved the life of a British doctor, Dr. Nick Embleton, through an anonymous stem-cell donation. Dr. Embleton, who was diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Unable to find a match in the UK, the search was expanded worldwide. After two years, BBC News and the charity Anthony Nolan helped the two men, who now consider themselves "blood brothers," find each other for the first time.
Dr. Embleton, who has worked in a neonatal intensive care unit in Newcastle for over two decades, was devastated by his diagnosis. He was aware that he might die and even made a will. Breaking the news to his wife and children was particularly difficult for him. The only hope for his survival was a successful bone marrow transplant, which replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. However, finding a matching donor is a challenging task.
Both the donor and the patient must remain anonymous until the transplant is confirmed to have worked. After learning that the transplant was successful, Dr. Embleton expressed his desire to meet his donor. With the help of Anthony Nolan, Marius, who had been on the donor register since his late teens, was identified and agreed to meet Dr. Embleton in the UK. The emotional reunion took place at a cancer support center, where they hugged and expressed their overwhelming gratitude towards each other.
During their meeting, Marius revealed that the news of the transplant's success brought him to tears. He also shared that he had previously struggled with mental health issues and had even attempted suicide. He believes that saving Dr. Embleton's life gave him a sense of purpose and helped him find his way in life. The two men, now connected by the same blood, plan to remain in touch as "blood brothers."
This inspiring story highlights the power of anonymous acts of kindness and the profound impact they can have on both the recipient and the giver. It also emphasizes the importance of organ and stem-cell donation in saving lives. Anyone affected by similar issues can seek support from BBC Action Line.
Original news source: The strangers who saved each otherβs lives (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article silently. Then, ask them to work together to create a concise summary of the article, highlighting the main points and key details. Afterward, have each group share their summary with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: "Do you think anonymous acts of kindness have a profound impact on both the recipient and the giver?" Ask students to think about their opinion and then discuss it in pairs or small groups. Afterward, conduct a class-wide poll by having students raise their hands to indicate their agreement or disagreement with the statement. Encourage students to explain their reasoning.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to discuss the pros of organ and stem-cell donation, while the other group discusses the cons. Give each group a few minutes to brainstorm their arguments. Then, have them take turns presenting their points to the class. Encourage respectful discussion and allow for rebuttals or counterarguments.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Instruct them to sketch a scene that represents the emotional reunion between Marius and Dr. Embleton. Encourage students to focus on capturing the emotions and expressions of the characters in their drawings. Afterward, have students share and explain their sketches with a partner or the whole class.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what could happen next in the story. Will Marius and Dr. Embleton continue to stay in touch as "blood brothers"? Will they collaborate on a project related to organ and stem-cell donation? Will their story inspire others to become donors? Have students write down their predictions individually, and then discuss their ideas in small groups or as a class. Encourage students to support their predictions with evidence from the article.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
In a heartwarming story, a German man named Marius Werner saved the life of a doctor, Dr. Nick Embleton, through an anonymous stem-cell donation. Dr. Embleton, who was diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, needed a bone transplant to survive. Unable to find a match in the UK, the search was expanded worldwide. After two years, BBC News and the charity Anthony Nolan helped the two men, who now consider themselves "blood brothers," find each other for the time. Dr. Embleton, who has worked in a intensive care unit in Newcastle for over two decades, was devastated by his diagnosis. He was aware that he might die and even made a will. Breaking the news to his wife and was particularly difficult for him. The only hope for his survival was a successful bone marrow transplant, which replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. However, finding a matching donor is a challenging task. Both the donor and the patient must anonymous until the transplant is to have worked. After that the transplant was ful, Dr. Embleton expressed his desire to meet his donor. With the help of Nolan, Marius, who had been on the donor register since his late teens, was identified and agreed to meet Dr. Embleton in the UK. The reunion took place at a support center, where they hugged and expressed their overwhelming gratitude towards each other. During their meeting, Marius revealed that the news of the transplant's success brought him to tears. He also shared that he had previously struggled with mental health issues and had even suicide. He believes that Dr. Embleton's life gave him a sense of purpose and him find his way in life. The two men, now connected by the same blood, plan to remain in touch as "blood brothers." This inspiring story highlights the power of anonymous acts of kindness and the profound impact they can have on both the recipient and the giver. It also emphasizes the importance of organ and stem-cell donation in saving lives. Anyone affected by issues can seek support from BBC Action Line.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a bone marrow transplant and why is it important for someone with blood cancer?
2. How would you feel if you were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness like blood cancer?
3. Do you think it's important for organ and stem-cell donation to be anonymous? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever known someone who needed a transplant or donation to survive? How did it affect their life?
5. What is the significance of the term "blood brothers" in this story?
6. How do you think Marius felt when he found out that he was a match for Dr. Embleton?
7. Do you think it's important for people to be on the donor register? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever done an anonymous act of kindness? How did it make you feel?
9. How do you think Dr. Embleton's life will change now that he has received the transplant?
10. What do you think it means to have a sense of purpose in life? How can acts of kindness contribute to that?
11. How do you think Marius felt when he met Dr. Embleton for the first time?
12. Do you think it's important for people to share their stories of overcoming challenges and struggles? Why or why not?
13. How do you think the experience of being a bone marrow donor has changed Marius's perspective on life?
14. What other ways can people show kindness and support to those who are going through difficult times?
15. Do you think this story will inspire more people to become organ and stem-cell donors? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
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π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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