"I will probably never see myself as a hero."

– We understood that he was ill. He had been feeling unwell for quite some time.

When Maximilian is 7 years old, he starts to experience stomach pain. He, a little soccer boy who has always had a lot of energy, gradually becomes more tired and also starts to vomit. Maximilian's parents, Madeleine and Mattias, realize that something is seriously wrong.

After visits to the primary care center, referrals, countless tests and examinations, they finally get the answer: Maximilian has MDS, myelodysplastic syndrome. MDS is a rare and serious blood disease where the bone marrow stops functioning properly. The healthy blood cells become fewer, the body weakens, and infections become life-threatening. In the worst case, the disease can develop into leukemia.

Early on, Madeleine and Mattias learn that what is required for Maximilian to have a chance of survival is a stem cell transplant. And now things move quickly - the search in the Tobias Registry for a suitable stem cell donor begins immediately. Someone who is a perfect match for Maximilian.

– When you hear that not everyone finds a match, which is his only chance to get well... Then you become terrified, says Madeleine.

25-year-old Jens is out working in his truck when the phone rings. Right then and there, he learns that he, having been on the registry for a couple of years, has been matched with a sick patient.

– It was absolutely obvious to step up. No doubt, says Jens.

Jens is scheduled for testing and a health examination. Once he has been cleared by a doctor, the donation will take place at Huddinge Hospital.

– I donated through bone marrow, which is the less common method. It's done under anesthesia and is a bit more complicated than donating through blood, but when I asked the doctor which option was best for the patient, it was through bone marrow and then it was quite obvious for me to go for that, says Jens.

Then time passes. For Jens, everyday life continues as usual with work, hockey, cohabitation, and pets.

For Maximilian, on the other hand, it's a struggle to recover from the transplant. Nothing is as usual, but slowly but surely, Jens' blood stem cells are establishing themselves in Maximilian's body. The test results are looking better with each passing week.

It's impossible to describe what Jens means to us. He is our hero. He is the reason our child is alive.

The person who donates stem cells never knows beforehand who the patient is. However, after a period of time, the confidentiality surrounding the donor and patient can be lifted, if both wish to make contact with each other. A little more than a year after the donation, both Jens and Maximilian's family choose to lift the confidentiality in order to find out:

Who is the one who saved our child's life?
Who is it that I have helped to survive?

– I really wanted to meet this little person to see that he was doing well and could play like other children, says Jens.

At the end of October 2024, they meet for the first time. Maximilian and Jens hug each other. For a long time. It's as if Maximilian can't quite let go of Jens.

– Maximilian has been very aware of this journey and he probably understood exactly what it was that Jens had done, says Madeleine.

Today, Maximilian is healthy. He goes to school, plays soccer, and has that twinkle in his eye again.

Before he became ill, neither Madeleine nor Mattias had heard of the Tobias Registry.

– It's only when it becomes your own reality that you understand how incredibly important it is, that there are people who are willing to step up in this way, says Madeleine.

– It's impossible to describe what Jens means to us. He is our hero. He is the reason our child is alive.

Jens is now a part of Maximilian's life. They meet regularly, most recently when Maximilian turned 11. They share a bond that will never disappear.

– I am proud to have joined the Tobias Registry and I feel so fortunate to have gotten to know the wonderful and fun Maximilian and his amazing family, says Jens.