The 28-year-old from Bury became the first adult patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia to receive CAR-T therapy on the NHS. His own immune cells were extracted, genetically reprogrammed in a lab, and infused back to hunt down his aggressive cancer.

T-cells get modified with a harmless virus to recognize cancer cells like a lock and key. They multiply into millions, then go to work inside the patient's body - permanently. It's called a "living drug" because these cells keep growing and fighting long after treatment ends. Clinical trials showed 77% of patients went into remission, with half cancer-free after three and a half years. For a disease where patients typically survive just six to eight months, that's transformative. The treatment costs £372,000 per infusion but was developed from UK research at University College London. Around 50 NHS patients yearly could benefit initially, though doctors expect broader use soon.