Remission fuels Michelin worker charity drive

Stoke City fan Brian Bennett, a Michelin training instructor, is in remission from leukaemia and leading a charity drive for Leukaemia Care.

Leukaemia remission fuels Michelin worker charity drive

Brian Bennett, 51, was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2021 after a string of worrying symptoms. He faced a slow start to treatment and was treated at first for IBS before doctors confirmed leukaemia. He moved from Royal Stoke University Hospital to a Manchester unit where specialists boosted his white blood cell counts and adjusted his medicines. After more than a year of high risk status, his latest tests show remission and a drop in leukaemia levels from 12% to 0.1%. He remains on a six‑week testing cycle and the wait for a stem cell transplant has stretched to two years. Despite setbacks, he has turned his battle into action by raising money for Leukaemia Care and planning a charity football match at the Michelin sports ground on August 17 with an auction and family day.

His fundraising began with a fundraiser when Michelin teams faced JCB and the funds were raised through raffles and auctions. Michelin has supported him financially and emotionally, and Leukaemia Care has provided essential support. He says the aim is to offer hope to others facing the same disease and to show what communities can do when people come together. The event adds a community dimension to a personal battle and shows how local clubs, factories and families can join in.

Brian’s journey is a reminder that medical battles can hinge on small moments and timely second opinions. A gender reveal party family moment helped push him back to the doctor, leading to a life-changing diagnosis and a new pathway in treatment. The story also highlights how a large employer can turn a personal health crisis into a broader community effort, turning resilience into action that benefits others.

But the piece also invites reflection on the balance between personal triumph and systemic health questions. Relying on workplace fundraising and charity drives can crowd out conversations about broader health funding and transplant wait times. It is important to celebrate courage without turning it into a shortcut for public responsibility, and to protect patient privacy while telling a life-affirming story.

Highlights

Local action turns hardship into a shared cause that can outlast the illness.