Update your details. Win a LoobyLou candle.
Not in a vague, someday way. In a practical, this‑might‑be‑my‑future way.
The idea that would become LoobyLou candles took shape there, during treatment for Stage 4 Angioimmunoblastic T‑cell Lymphoma. At the time, nothing about Kere’s life looked certain. What was certain was that she was only there because a stranger, somewhere in the world, had once answered a call and said yes to donating stem cells.
More than a decade later, Kere is still here. She’s built a business with care and intention. And this month, her story is also the reason we’re giving away 50 LoobyLou candles to registered donors who update their details.
A gift with shared meaning
We’re giving away 50 LoobyLou candles to donors if you update your contact details before the end of the month.
These candles already have a proud place in the donor journey. Every Australian stem cell donor who goes on to donate receives a handmade LoobyLou candle as part of their gift pack, a small moment of comfort, made by someone who understands exactly what that call means.
As Kere explains:
“It is only by the grace of numerous blood donors, and an incredible young man donating his stem cells that I’m even here to offer these candles to you. All handmade by someone who walks this journey with you; and someone that could not be more grateful for you.”
A long-held thank you
Earlier this year, Kere travelled to Germany with Adrian, her ex‑husband, and someone who was by her side throughout treatment and remains an important part of her life.
“Adrian was with me for the whole gruelling lot of it,” she says. “We’ve long talked about the possibility of me joining him on one of his trips to the UK, and then heading on to Germany.”
“Initially, we were hopeful we would meet my donor (who we have long referred to as ‘Klaus’) and to meet the team,” she says. “Honestly, I just really wanted to say thank you.”
“What they do, and what you all do, is among the most important work there is,” she says. “I wanted to front up, show my face, which is only here because of your teams finding and coordinating donors, and facilitating all of this.”
The letter that may never arrive
After her transplant in 2012, Kere had to wait two years before she was allowed to write to her donor.
“I love words, and writing, but that was single handedly the hardest thing I’ve ever written,” she says. “It took a month.”
She later followed up, wondering whether a reply had been misplaced. It hadn’t.
“My concern is that Klaus never got the letter,” she says.
When Kere travelled to Germany, she learned that her donor hadn’t made any further contact at that time.
Whether or not he received her letter remains unknown; any decision about initiating contact is always up to both the patient and the donor.
Meeting the people behind the registry
Although she couldn’t meet her donor, Kere did get to meet the team at DKMS, the registry that had coordinated her transplant.
“It felt quite surreal when it finally happened,” she says. “I think they were genuinely surprised that I wanted nothing more than to come in and say thank you.”
“When you strip it all back, my actual life is why they do what they do,” she says. “It felt so important for all of us to have a face to the name.”
Kere spent time with Nicole, who helped facilitate the visit, and with Stephan, who has been with DKMS for 35 years.
“It was a really moving and meaningful conversation,” she says. “I don’t get the impression they get to meet recipients very often, if at all.”
Why staying contactable matters
Kere is clear about the message she wants donors to take away.
“My concern is that Klaus never got the letter,” she says. “But you need to know, what you have done by joining the registry is nothing short of making you a potential superhero.”
“Blood cancer wasn’t something I’d planned for. No one does,” she says. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate or choose.”
“But being a stem cell donor is a relatively quick and simple way to literally save someone’s life,” she says. “That’s the stuff miracles are made of.”
It’s why staying contactable matters. Sometimes, it’s the difference between a registry being able to reach a donor or not.
A small action that could make a world of difference
Keeping your contact details up to date takes a few minutes. But as Kere’s story shows, it can be the difference between a call that reaches someone, and one that never does.
Everyone who updates their details before the end of the month will go in the draw to win one of 50 LoobyLou candles.
And even if you don’t win one of the candles we’re giving away, Kere has also shared a thank‑you discount code for donors to use:
LIFEGIVER
Enter the code above at checkout on the LoobyLou website for a special Stem Cell Donors Australia discount. With Mother’s Day coming up, it’s a gentle nudge if you’re already thinking about a gift or just want to support a business that exists because donation works.
Update your details by the end of the month
- Go in the draw to win one of 50 LoobyLou candles
- Stay contactable if you’re ever needed as a donor
- Use LIFEGIVER for a thank you discount on the LoobyLou website