Global News Podcast – The Happy Pod: Christmas with the Man I Saved

Host: Oliver Conway, BBC World Service
Date: January 4, 2026

Episode Overview

This uplifting episode of “The Happy Pod” highlights heartwarming stories from across the globe, focusing on the power of kindness, community, serendipity, and the bonds that connect people. From a lifesaving bone marrow donation and a restaurant community coming together, to a chance encounter that sparked a romance, new corporate approaches to combating loneliness, the discovery of rare animals, and a journey through the global history of “Auld Lang Syne,” the episode celebrates acts of generosity and human connection during the festive season and beyond.

Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. A Christmas Reunion: Meeting the Life Saved by a Bone Marrow Donation

Segment begins: [02:06]

• The Encounter:
  Cassidy Feeney, a 27-year-old American student, travels to Australia to meet Gennaro Rapinese, whose life she saved through bone marrow donation. Gennaro, a father of three from Perth, had battled acute myeloid leukemia and found a perfect 12/12 match in Cassidy.
• Gennaro’s Journey:
  • Diagnosed in 2015, relapsed in 2019.
  • Bone marrow transplant was his only cure, leading to a worldwide search:

    "The hunt began to find the match, and we found Cassidy all the way on the other side of the world, who turned out to be a 12 out of 12 perfect match for me." – Gennaro Rapinese [03:32]

• Cassidy’s Motivation:
  • Joined the registry as a freshman in college through a sorority event:

    "We got some points if we signed up… It was just a simple, cheap swab." – Cassidy Feeney [04:29]

  • Initially skeptical when told she was a match, worried it could be a scam.
• Meeting in Person:
  • Emotional impact hits home after seeing the real family she affected:

    "Meeting them in person and meeting his family and his kids and his wife just really has hit home that I did save a life. And they get to keep making these amazing memories, and now I get to be a part of it as well." – Cassidy Feeney [06:02]

• A Special Christmas:

  "It's been the most amazing, special Christmas that I'll ever have." – Gennaro Rapinese [07:11]

• Encouragement for Potential Donors:
  • Dropout rates are high; Cassidy urges listeners to consider the impact of following through:

    "If it was my mom and they had one match… I would be devastated if they backed out. So I think it's important that we all care a little bit more about each other and not so much about ourselves." – Cassidy Feeney [08:54]

2. A Restaurant’s Community Steps Up After Dine-and-Dash

Segment begins: [10:23]

• Mama Khan Restaurant in Montreal:
  • Owned by Abdul Razik Khan, a community-oriented restauranteur known for charity, soup kitchens, and “Pay It Forward Meals.”
• Incident:
  • Eight diners, some left without paying.
• Community Response:
  • Abdul shared the event online, gaining over 130,000 views overnight and overwhelming support:

    "I was getting phone calls, emails, people are donating money… we raised over $1,600." – Abdul Razik Khan [11:30]

  • The donated sum will now be redirected to support the homeless in Montreal.
• Message of Positivity:

  "The fact that we took a negative situation, made it positive is amazing… I feel like when you do good, good comes your way." – Abdul Razik Khan [13:44]

• Community Initiatives:
  • Free meals during crises, soup kitchens, and weekly outreach to low-income areas – over 1,388 free meals given in 2025 alone.

3. From Train Seat to Engagement: A Chance Meeting Turns Into Love

Segment begins: [15:49]

• How They Met:
  • Payal Pandya receives a seat offer from Steve Higgs on a packed London train after an uninspiring date. They clicked in conversation but parted, expecting never to meet again.
• Fate Intervenes:
  • Steve reaches out online:

    "He said, I promise you, I'm not a stalker. I just want to make sure you got home okay." – Payal Pandya [17:28]

  • Their relationship grows, and a year later, Steve proposes on the same train, with the help of the rail company and fellow passengers.
• The Proposal:

  "And then he was on the floor and I wasn’t quite sure why… And then he just asked me the question… I said yes." – Payal Pandya [18:50]

• Reflection on Serendipity:

  "I do believe that we’re meant to be together. When I think about everything that had to be in place for us to meet at that time, in that moment, of all the carriages I could have got on… it so could have not happened." – Payal Pandya [20:08]

4. Combating Loneliness: Swedish Company Gives Staff Friendship Time

Segment begins: [22:50]

• Background:
  • Despite Sweden’s high happiness ranking, loneliness is a serious public health issue, with 8% reporting no close friends.
• Friendship Time Project:
  • Employees at pharmacy chain “Apothekertat” can use 15 minutes a week (or one hour a month) of work time, plus a stipend, to invest in friendships.
  • Jasmin, a staff member, describes how it reconnected her with old friends and helped overcome the stigma of being alone:

    "It felt like I died a little because people didn’t get in touch anymore. And it’s like it’s not acceptable to invite a single woman." – Jasmin [24:05]

• Impact:
  • All participants report increased life satisfaction.
  • Rollout is being watched by other Swedish businesses.
  • Company CEO Monica Magnussen affirms it's a genuine effort—"No, we are truly passionate about health and we work with that every single day." [25:55]

5. Rare White Platypus Spotted in Australia

Segment begins: [27:59]

• Discovery:
  • A fishing enthusiast films a white (possibly albino) platypus in Victoria, sparking conservation interest.
• Expert Insight:
  • Ann Gillis of the Tasmanian Platypus Conservation Group explains the rarity—only about a dozen sightings in 200 years:

    "They're just fascinating creatures. They're a very ancient mammal doing their thing for about 160 million years." – Ann Gillis [28:13]

  • Increased sightings may come as more people carry cameras.
• Albinism in Wildlife:
  • Likely explanation for the coloration; true albinism is confirmed by red eyes.
• Conservation Note:
  • The location is kept secret to protect the animal and its habitat.

6. Auld Lang Syne: Why We Sing It at New Year

Segment begins: [31:06]

• Origins:
  • The Scottish song, made famous by poet Robert Burns in 1788, is now sung worldwide to mark the new year.
• Meaning:
  • Scots phrase ‘auld lang syne’ means “the good old days.”
• Cultural Reach:
  • Became a staple wherever Scottish emigrants settled.
  • The tune has been used in national anthems (Korea) and pop songs (India, Bangladesh, China).
• Emotional Impact:

  "That song will bring me to tears every time… It does make you think of times gone by." – Scottish celebrity (unattributed) [31:57]

  • Hollywood popularized it further; even Billy Crystal’s character in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ famously pondered its meaning.
• Universal Relevance:
  • An anthem for remembering friends, family, and times past, bridging cultures and generations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Meeting them in person and meeting his family and his kids and his wife just really has hit home that I did save a life.”
  – Cassidy Feeney on bone marrow donation [06:02]
• “If it was my mom and they had one match even halfway across the world, I would be devastated if they backed out.”
  – Cassidy Feeney on commitment to donation [08:54]
• “The fact that we took a negative situation and made it positive is amazing. I feel like when you do good, good comes your way.”
  – Abdul Razik Khan on turning adversity into good [13:44]
• “I do believe that we’re meant to be together. When I think about everything that had to be in place for us to meet…”
  – Payal Pandya reflecting on serendipity [20:08]
• “When you sing Auld Lang Syne, you can almost feel your ancestry bearing down on you. And that’s what the song’s about. It’s about remembering people from your past and raising a glass to them.”
  – Scottish celebrity (unattributed) [31:57]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:06 – Bone marrow donation reunion: Cassidy & Gennaro’s story
• 10:23 – Mama Khan restaurant and the power of community in Montreal
• 15:49 – A train seat leads to romance and engagement
• 22:50 – Swedish company’s friendship time initiative
• 27:59 – Rare white platypus discovery
• 31:06 – The global journey and meaning of “Auld Lang Syne”

Episode Tone

Warm, hopeful, and sincere, with a focus on human stories that celebrate empathy, resilience, unexpected connections, and communal kindness.

This episode offers a global tapestry of goodness – from life-saving generosity and everyday heroism, to quiet moments of reconnection and the songs that bring us together across continents and generations.