Graham Lewis insists that “fun run” is most definitely an oxymoron, and that there’s nothing fun about it, especially when the weather is cold and miserable. 

And cold and miserable it was when Graham completed the this year, only the third time it’s rained for the event in the past 50 years according to Graham. 

2025 was Graham’s second City to Bay run, decades after his first. And a lot has happened in between. 

Graham’s stem cell transplant experience

As a two-time transplant recipient—including an allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT), Graham and his family know firsthand the challenges patients face.

Graham says, “Allogeneic stem cell transplant is one of the most complex and high-risk procedures in modern medicine. The conditioning therapy is brutal, and transplant-related mortality in the first 12 months can be as high as 10–20%. Survivors often live with chronic, disabling conditions such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)—a reality that leaves many wondering if the cure was worse than the disease.”

Graham’s own GVHD was initially missed, and by the time he reached the expert treatment he needed, irreversible damage had been done, leaving him in a wheelchair and requiring daily support. It has been a difficult time for Graham and his family, but they have stuck together and survived.

Why Graham chose to support Arrow

Graham didn’t know about Arrow back in 2019, when he and his family were struggling to cope with the long term effects of his transplants. “Since then,” he says, “I’ve seen how many patients across Australia have been helped—some even supported to access treatments not available in their home state. Founded in 1987 and involved in the establishment of the  Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry [ABMTRR, now the ANZTCT Registry], Arrow has grown to play a vital role for people undergoing bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Importantly, Arrow receives no government funding. Every bit of its work is powered by donations.”

From stem cell transplant, and back to competing

Graham had thought he might never be able to compete in events like this again, but with dedication and training through a gym that specialises in fitness for people with (dis)abilities, he has once again taken on the Adelaide fun run, now 62 years of age. He completed the full 12 kilometers of the event, but says “the last three kilometres were tough.” 

Top fundraiser for Paint the Town Red 2025!

Not only did Graham complete the event, but he also became the top fundraiser for Paint the Town Red 2025, raising over $7000 for his efforts! 

We’re so pleased to have Graham as part of Arrow’s community of fundraisers and supporters. The funds Graham has raised will go towards our patient support program, helping others who are facing stem cell transplants like Graham once did.