Years after overcoming an anemia condition when he was a child, Max Harris was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia—a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. His doctors recommended an aggressive treatment plan of induction chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant.

Bone marrow transplants take stem cells from the bone marrow or blood of an eligible donor and use them to restore the marrow and blood of the patient.

During the 60-day period, while Max received induction chemotherapy, his doctors began searching for a donor. They found one and scheduled the transplant for six weeks after the chemotherapy was complete. The treatment was long and trying, but Max did his best to stay active and remain positive throughout the process.

Today, Max is completely in remission and living life like he did before the cancer. He enjoys staying active by running and hiking, and he volunteers with a children’s cancer camp at a children’s hospital.

Click here to read Max’s story and learn more about stem cell treatments on Mayo Clinic’s website.