‘We put family first’: Sister donates stem cells to brother battling cancer
Brewer went into remission after undergoing chemotherapy treatments but relapsed last October. Now
By Lindsay Clein
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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (WXII) — A brother and sister duo from the Piedmont Triad is proving that family really is everything.
The two share a driveway as neighbors in Rural Hall. The property has been in the family for about 100 years.
Now, they’re sharing a gift much greater than a driveway. They’re sharing the same stem cells.
“We put family first,” said Keith Brewer, who is undergoing an allogeneic stem cell transplant. “And it’s always going to be this way.”
There’s no bond quite like that of a brother and sister.
“We’ve always been close,” Brewer said. “I mean, always.”
Brewer and Tanya Ruhmann are just a few years apart.
“We’ve got a huge family,” Brewer said. “So family is very big to us.”
In October 2023, Brewer was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer.
“It’s been rough,” said Brewer.
“It’s been heavy,” added Ruhmann. “It’s hard to talk about, and you think, ‘Wow, I can really do something to step up and help my brother.'”
Brewer went into remission after undergoing chemotherapy treatments but relapsed last October.
Now, he’s undergoing a stem cell transplant at Novant Health’s Forsyth Medical Center, with stem cells donated by his sister, who turned out to be a match.
“It’s a lifesaving therapy,” said Dr. James Dugan, clinical director of hematology and cellular therapy services at Novant Health. “This is the only cure for these diseases.”
Family is one of the greatest gifts, and having a sibling who wants to help save your life is even greater.
“To know you can get better and have your sister be the one to do it is just awesome,” Brewer said.
“I’d like to think I would step in and help anyone who needs this,” said Ruhmann. “But when it’s this close to home, it really hits hard.”
This is only the second time the procedure is being administered at Novant’s Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. It’s part of a program that just recently expanded to the Triad from Charlotte.
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