Incredible support after private school graduate’s shock cancer diagnosis

When a 19-year-old former Brisbane Grammar prefect bravely revealed he is battling blood cancer and needs a stem cell transplant, he and his family could never have expected the response, which has been nothing short of breathtaking.

Rowan Tong-Law with mum and dad, Bronwyn Tong and Robert Law. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

Rowan Tong-Law looks like any other healthy 19-year-old embarking on a future filled with promise.

But the strapping University of Queensland physiotherapy student and former Brisbane Grammar School prefect is battling blood cancer.

“I didn’t feel unwell so it was hard to come to terms with,” said Rowan, from his family home in Bardon.

After being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in September 2024 during a routine blood test while on acne medication, Rowan underwent five rounds of chemotherapy.

Devastatingly, they didn’t work and on March 18 he was told he needed a stem cell transplant.

But it’s what Rowan did next that has sparked an unprecedented groundswell of support stretching across the globe.

Pushing past crushing disappointment, Rowan honoured a prior commitment to speak about his health journey at Brisbane Grammar on March 21.

The popular 2023 rugby vice-captain told of the need for people aged 18 to 35 to register as stem cell donors – and within days, numbers shot through the roof.

As his school community rallied and three parents created a website (Register for Rowan has had nearly 11,000 hits from 60 countries), Terrace and Brisbane Boys’ College also got involved, as did Rowan’s physiotherapy faculty and UQ and Wests rugby clubs.

The diverse connections of Rowan’s parents – Rob Law, who works for Wesley Mission, and Bronwyn Tong, a vet in a Logan charity – kicked in, reaching across Australia and to the US and UK.

The Queensland response was staggering.

Rowan Tong-Law with Tilley the family dog, at home in Bardon, Brisbane. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

The state’s average of 200-300 new registrations a month with Stem Cell Donors Australia increased six-fold to 1300 – with 1200 of these since March 22.

“I didn’t expect that much support but it’s helped me a lot knowing so many people are behind me,” Rowan said.

His siblings Matthew, 24, an engineer, and Annaka, 22, who is studying law and biomedical science, have been confirmed as 50 per cent donor matches.

However, with higher risks of rejection and serious complications with a partial match, Rowan ideally needs a 100 per cent match – and it must be Eurasian.

“It’s a numbers’ game,” Dr Tong said. “Rowan’s match might come from overseas but even if we don’t find a match for him, there could be matches for someone else. A lot of my friends aren’t Eurasian but all of their kids are being swabbed.”

A cheek swab (via a free postal kit) can establish genetic compatibility, and Dr Tong said if a person was a match, the process was similar to giving blood.

“It’s not hard and it’s not invasive.”

She described Rowan’s leukaemia diagnosis as “a lightning bolt” that struck the close-knit family while Mr Law initially thought, “surely it’s a mistake”.

“Bronwyn and I were just saying we were in the ‘purple patch’, with all our children grown, all healthy, no school fees, no Saturday sport – and then this happens.”

Rowan said his perspective on life has changed.

“All the stuff you used to think was your biggest grievance in that moment, like getting stuck in traffic, doesn’t seem significant now,” he said.

“While I can I may as well make the most of life and do all the things I’ve been missing for the past few months, like the gym and touch footy.

“There’s not much you can do about it – it’s not like studying harder if you want to do better in exams – you have to sit back and let the amazing doctors and nurses (at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital) do their thing.”

Lisa Smith, CEO of Stem Cell Donors Australia, said Rowan’s campaign was “doing the heavy lifting” and highlighted what more could be achieved with greater awareness.

“This has been a terrific example of people wrapping around this family as they are going through the worst time in their life; it’s fantastic to see,” Ms Smith said.

“Australians step up – when they are aware of a need they will fill it.”

Currently there are 1100 patients on the register.

If cheek swabs determine potential matches, donors will have a short course of injections to increase blood stem cells.

These cells will be taken from their blood by a machine (blood is then given back) and infused via a drip into the patient, where they settle into bone marrow and produce red and white blood cells.

Ms Smith said the registry needed the remaining $1m of promised $1.5m federal and state funding to help provide free cheek swab kits.

registerforrowan.com

stemcelldonors.org.au

[e-mail]

Originally published as Incredible support after private school graduate’s shock cancer diagnosis