Brother's stem cells save 9-year old

Chennai: Senthil Kumar and Sarojini were told that their daughter Thamaraiparani was Thalassemia Major patient - a genetic disorder. The red blood cells in her body were haemoglobin deficit. Thamaraiparani had to receive blood transfusions every month.

The painful treatment meant she could not cope with school. It was then that the parents were told that if they conceived a healthy child there is hope for Thamaraiparani.

The blood from the umbilical cord of the newborn could cure Thamaraiparani.

Senthil and Sarojini conceived a second child but realised they could not afford the cord blood transfusion. And help came from a cord blood bank.

"We offered this service free of cost to the family so the family can actually benefit from the value of cord blood banking," said Mayur Abhaya, Executive Director, LifeCell International Private Limited.

The bank stored the blood, collected at the birth of the second child until Thamaraiparani was well enough to receive the transfusion.

"We have essentially replaced the stem cells that have genetic defect with stem cells which do not carry the genetic defect of the sibling, in this case the brother," said Ajit Kumar, Executive Director, LifeCell International Private Limited.

Thamaraiparani was reborn.

"My brother's cord blood saved me. Otherwise I wouldn't be alive," said Thamaraiparani.

Six months later she is a normal nine-year-old, and her painful past fading in memory. The siblings have bonded in more ways than one.