They live thousands of miles away. But Bill Feldt now has a special connection with the woman who helped save his life. "It''s just amazing. I feel like I have a new sister," said Feldt.

Eight years ago, Cindy Plymyer responded to a bone marrow drive in Erie, Pennsylvannia. She wasn''t a match for the local recipient, but six years later doctors matched her marrow with Bill Feldt, who was battling a life threatening illness in southern Illinois.

Plymyer says, "I feel like what I did was small compared to what he''s gone through." Friday night, doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital arranged a surprise meeting between Bill and Cindy.

"I''m so touched to finally meet the person who saved my life. It''s an amazing thing," said Feldt. Bill had no idea Cindy was in the audience when he wished to meet his donor, and even wrote a poem to her.

Cindy described her reaction to the poem. "They had to keep handing me Kleenex''s. Mostly I''m not a crier, but he brought me to tears."

They want people to know their story so that others will donate and never give up.

"Everything happens for a reason. We might not always understand that when it happens," said Cindy. Add Bill, "I can''t emphasize strongly enough that people who have similar life-threatning disease and blood disorders, or whatevertheir life-challenging disease may be, to not lose hope, to not ever lose hope."