A 17-year-old girl in New Chandigarh played a crucial role in saving her 10-year-old brother’s life after doctors identified her as a complete bone marrow match for the child.
Her stem cell donation also enabled Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), New Chandigarh, to complete its first successful allogeneic bone marrow transplant.
The boy from Durgapur, West Bengal, was diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer in April after the disease returned in a relapse. His family travelled to Punjab seeking specialised treatment at the Tata Memorial Centre hospital.
Doctors first used chemotherapy to bring the cancer under control. They then recommended an allogeneic stem cell transplant to reduce the risk of another relapse by replacing the child’s diseased bone marrow with healthy donor cells.
Medical tests subsequently confirmed that his elder sister offered a complete match. Doctors collected her stem cells and transplanted them into the boy through a carefully monitored procedure.
Dr Jasmeet Sidhu, Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist and BMT specialist, said the medical team closely monitored the child after transplantation.
The new cells successfully engrafted, and the boy recovered sufficiently to leave hospital on Tuesday. Doctors will continue monitoring his condition during the follow-up period.
Dr Seema Gulia, Head of Medical Oncology, said successful transplants require detailed planning, rigorous infection prevention and close coordination among medical teams.
She also highlighted the hospital’s efforts to keep cancer treatment affordable so that financial constraints do not prevent disadvantaged families from accessing care.
Dr Ashish Gulia, Director of HBCH&RC, described the procedure as both a medical achievement and an example of human compassion. He said advanced treatment and hope can provide vital support to families facing serious illness.
The hospital’s social work team arranged financial assistance exceeding Rs 14 lakh through government schemes and CSR funding.
The hospital also provided accommodation for the family at its dharamshala throughout the treatment, reducing the practical and financial burden during the child’s recovery.
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