JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Springing the Blues Festival returns to Jacksonville Beach this weekend and will feature an incredibly special moment: longtime festival board member Lloyd Hyatt, a cancer survivor, will meet the young German man whose stem cell donation saved Hyatt’s life.
Hyatt was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2022 and was told after rigorous chemotherapy that only a blood stem cell transplant could save his life.
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Only 25% of patients find a suitable donor within their own families, so the 75% must rely on the generosity of strangers through the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry, which includes over 41 million potential donors worldwide.
And it turned out Hyatt’s match was all the way across the Atlantic.
Jonas Kuschel, a 23-year-old from Wiesbaden, Germany, had joined a donor registry with a simple cheek swab, and when he learned he was a match, he underwent a blood-forming stem cell extraction to give a stranger a second chance at life.
Hyatt received the life-saving transplant on April 10, 2023, and exactly three years later, he will meet Kuschel for the first time on the Springing the Blues stage on Friday.
Kuschel will share his donor journey live on stage to encourage others to take action.
Turning inspiration into action
To honor the extraordinary meeting, Springing the Blues is partnering with NMDP, a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy. Festival-goers are invited to:
- Visit the NMDP Booth: Learn about the blood stem cell donation process, a non-surgical procedure similar to plasma or platelet donation.
- Join the NMDP Registry: Receive a simple, painless cheek swab on-site to join the international database.
- Become a Hero: Your participation could provide the next “miracle match” for someone in need, just as Kuschel was for Hyatt .
2026 Springing the Blues performance schedule
Friday, April 10
- 5–5:45 p.m. – Duffy Bishop
- 6–7 p.m. – Otto Junior Band
- 7:15–8:30 p.m. – Angelique Francis
- 8:45–10 p.m. – Desoto Tiger’s Testimony
Saturday, April 11
- 12– 12:45 p.m. – Brett Barnard and The Hitman Band
- 1– 1:45 p.m. – Lower Case Blues
- 2–3 p.m. – Melody Trucks and The Fitzkee Brothers
- 3:15–4 p.m. – James Armstrong
- 4:15–5 p.m. – Dennis Jones
- 5:15–6 p.m. – Ally Venable
- 6:15–7:15 p.m. – Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials
- 7:30–8:30 p.m. – Vanessa Collier
- 9 – 10 p.m. – Toronzo Cannon
Sunday, April 12
- 12– 12:45 p.m. – Smokestack
- 1–2 p.m. – Diedra and the Ruff Pro Band
- 2:15–3:15 p.m. – Jovin Webb
- 3:30–4:30 p.m. – Jimmy Vivino
- 4:45–6 p.m. – Nikki Hill