After surviving a rare form of bone marrow cancer and treatment, Damon Young got to meet the man who helped save his life.

But Young, who lives in Oak Lawn, wasn’t the only one feeling a sense of deep gratitude at Loyola Medicine’s 33rd Annual Bone Marrow Transplant Celebration of Survivorship.

There were dozens of cancer patients, along with their relatives, friends and staff, who were treated at the Maywood medical center.

Some had been in remission for years.

“You have given me a new outlook on life,” Young told his donor, Syeed Mahdi, of Maryland, after they met for the first time at the event and exchanged hugs. “I’m more than thankful being able to see you here now.

“I don’t know if there’s any amount of thanks that I could give that’s equivalent to what you did,” said Young.

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