FOR Barbara Hartigan, seeing leukemia survivors Judi Haidley and Stewart Bailey fit, healthy, and loving life is the biggest reward of all.

Ms Hartigan, Leukaemia Foundation director of support services, was a wall of strength for Ms Haidley and Mr Bailey, and their families, as they battled cancer.

Yesterday, the three reunited, after 20 years, for an emotional get-together at the Warwick Leukaemia Foundation's 30th anniversary.

"I was so hoping they would both be here. It's just so wonderful to see them," Mrs Hartigan said.

"To see people who have been on the brink of death, coming through and getting back to a normal life, just makes it all so worth it."

In 1990, working in the Leukaemia Foundation's units near the Princess Alexandra Hospital, she met Mr Bailey, a headstrong 19-year-old suffering from Burkitt's Lymphoma.

"He used to sit on the steps in his basketball shorts and singlet, with his bald head. He was the jock of the unit block," Mrs Hartigan said.

They even had a basketball hoop installed so the sport star could practise his alley-oops and slam dunks while getting treatment.

Three years later, a young Judi Haidley met Ms Hartigan when she spent time at the units, as she battled Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia.

"She hasn't changed at all," Mrs Hartigan said.

"She has so much resilience. She's got guts."

Mrs Hartigan said Ms Haidley was a stubborn and determined young lady.

"One time, she was really sick, as yellow as anything, near death's door, but would just say 'I don't think I want to go (to hospital). I don't like hospitals'," she said.

Ms Haidley said having Mrs Hartigan there through her traumatic time was a god send.

"The support she gave mum was amazing," Ms Haidley said.

"Whenever we were freaking out thinking the bone marrow wouldn't take, or we had any questions, Barb was there to answer them."

Mr Bailey agreed and said without the support of Mrs Hartigan, life at the units would have been much more unpleasant.

He said he also had Warwick to thank for helping him and his family through his struggles.

"If I hadn't have been from Warwick, I don't think I would have done as well as I did," Mr Bailey said.

"The community banded together and really looked after us.

"I had this beat up old $600 car and when I needed treatment we had to drive back and forwards, so the parents of my friends took my car and gave it back to us with a new engine, new paint job, interior and had raised enough money to pay for our fuel bills and mechanical costs."

Mrs Hartigan said she was amazed to hear both Ms Haidley and Mr Bailey were working at Scots PGC, but knew it was the perfect career choice for two brave fighters.

"The roles they are in are perfect. They can help the kids and show them resilience, because that's one thing you need in life, and they've got it," Mrs Hartigan said.

See tomorrow's Daily News for more pictures from the Warwick Leukaemia Foundation's 30th anniversary lunch.