BOCA RATON, Fla. — Two cancer survivors experienced life-changing moments Sunday morning in Boca Raton when they met the stem cell donors who saved their lives during the 15th annual Steps for Life 5K Run and Walk at FAU Stadium.
Roxanne Lockhart and Caitlyn Grewe, both wearing orange shirts, were filled with emotion as they prepared to meet their donors in front of more than 1,000 people gathered for the 5K event celebrating the Gift of Life registry.
WATCH BELOW: Cancer survivors meet donors who saved their lives
"A lot of emotions, nervousness, excitement," Grewe said before the meeting.
Lockhart described feeling "kind of giddy" about the encounter.
Lockhart, a leukemia survivor, is now in good health thanks to Dr. Kristian von Rickenbach, a sports medicine physician who provided a swab sample while in medical school nearly a decade ago. When von Rickenbach learned she was a match for a stem cell transplant, her response was immediate.
"As soon as I thought about it and realized I could help save someone's life, I was super excited and ready to come in and do whatever it meant, whatever it would take," von Rickenbach said.
The timing proved remarkable for von Rickenbach, who had just given birth to a son when she learned she was a stem cell donor match, essentially giving life to two people in the same week.
Minnesota native Grewe found her health restored through a match with donor Brianna Marr, a Jacksonville area firefighter paramedic. Marr was initially surprised by the news.
"When I first found out I was matched, I was pretty shocked and in awe," Marr said.
Grewe expressed overwhelming gratitude for her donor's gift.
"Words just don't even express the gratitude I have for Brianna," Grewe said.
The emotional meetings highlighted the focus of the event, which brought together roughly 1,000 runners and walkers to celebrate the Gift of Life Registry and the connections between donors and recipients who transform from strangers into lifelong friends.
WPTV investigative reporter Dave Bohman was the master of ceremonies for the event.
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