All articles tagged with #bone marrow transplant
A Louisiana man, Daniel Cressy, was functionally cured of sickle cell disease thanks to a breakthrough rooted in federally funded research, underscoring how modern medicine can dramatically improve lives—but the piece warns that Donald Trump’s anti-science stance could threaten such progress, which evolved from bone marrow transplants to newer therapies in the early 2010s.
A 24-year-old Welsh woman, Caitlin Leggett, died on June 15, 2026, a month after her acute myeloid leukemia returned and she was told she had six months to live. Caitlin had previously gone into remission twice after a 2025 bone marrow transplant; her identical twin Grace was ineligible to donate due to their near-identical DNA, and a GoFundMe sought overseas treatment for Caitlin. Her death followed a brain bleed and subsequent strokes amid treatment complications, a story Caitlin had described publicly (including in a TikTok update about Differentiation Syndrome). The BBC reported on the family’s ordeal.
Identical twins Caitlin Leggett and Grace Leggett, both 24, confront a recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia that has given Caitlin a six-month prognosis; Grace has started a GoFundMe to fund overseas, life-saving treatments not available in the UK, including another bone marrow transplant. The sisters learned they are identical after Caitlin’s diagnosis, which also meant Grace could not donate stem cells. Caitlin’s treatment journey includes chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and Differentiation Syndrome, and the fund’s goal reflects the urgent need for options abroad as Caitlin fights to stay connected with her twin and their family.
Danny Go! creator Daniel Coleman announced his 14-year-old son Isaac has died after a battle with Fanconi anemia and cancer, five months after Isaac was diagnosed with stage 3 mouth cancer; Isaac had previously undergone kidney and bone marrow transplants due to his rare disorder and endured an eight-hour surgery to remove a mouth tumor as his cancer progressed. Coleman canceled his 2026 live tour to care for Isaac, and he paid tribute on Instagram to Isaac’s resilience and joy, noting how loved he was. The family has used the Danny Go! platform to advocate for organ donation and bone marrow registries.
An Oslo man with HIV and bone marrow cancer underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant from his CCR5Δ32/Δ32 brother. The donor’s double mutation disabled a key HIV entry protein, enabling his new immune system to replace the patient’s. Two years post-transplant, the patient’s HIV is undetectable and he has stopped antiretroviral therapy without viral rebound, indicating a likely cure or sustained remission. The approach is rare, carries significant risks, and findings may guide future cures, but it is not scalable for general HIV treatment and requires further study.
Doctors initially suspected glandular fever (mono) in 17-year-old Jody White after months of symptoms, but a blood test revealed acute undifferentiated leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant from his sister, survived a life‑threatening course, and was later told he was as good as cured.
At 17, Jody White was suspected to have glandular fever (mono) after muffled hearing, but a blood test revealed acute undifferentiated leukemia. He was told he might die within two weeks without treatment, underwent chemotherapy, faced pneumonia and ICU care, and ultimately received a bone marrow transplant from his younger sister Jessie. The transplant saved him, and after a decade of monitoring he was deemed cured.
Emma Operacz, a college student, was treated for a presumed UTI until a biopsy revealed stage-four T-cell lymphoma; after conventional chemotherapy failed, doctors at Cleveland Clinic used a targeted therapy (Alectinib) that led to remission, followed by a bone marrow transplant. She recovered, returned to school, and plans to pursue graduate study, saying she was “mad at the world” during her darkest days.
Emma Operacz, a 21-year-old Eastern Michigan University student, went from thinking she had a UTI to a life-threatening stage IV ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma; after a difficult treatment course that included an experimental drug to cross the blood–brain barrier and a sister-donor bone marrow transplant, she spent months recovering before graduating in December 2025 and beginning a graduate program to work with cancer patients.
A three-year-old girl near York with a rare genetic condition called Hyper-IgE syndrome requires a bone marrow transplant in Newcastle, leading her family to consider relocating and undergo extensive treatment and isolation to improve her immune system.
A study by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center highlights how socioeconomic factors hinder access to bone marrow transplants for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, leading to higher mortality rates in disadvantaged communities. The research, presented at the American Society of Hematology's annual meeting, found that patients from areas with lower education levels and higher poverty rates were less likely to receive transplants. However, survival rates post-transplant were similar across socioeconomic backgrounds, suggesting access barriers rather than treatment efficacy are the main issue.
Atlanta pilot Jack Miller's life was saved by a bone marrow transplant from U.S. Air Force pilot Tristan Briggs, who had registered as a donor six years earlier with a simple cheek swab. Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2020, Miller found no match among his family, but Briggs turned out to be a perfect match. The transplant was successful, and Miller has since recovered and resumed flying. The story highlights the life-saving potential of bone marrow registries and the deep bond formed between donor and recipient.
Johanna Mendoza, 22, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) after developing red splotches on her skin while on vacation in Mexico. She required a blood stem cell transplant and underwent months of treatment, including chemotherapy. Finding a suitable donor was challenging, but she eventually received a partial bone marrow match and underwent a successful transplant. Medical research is exploring the use of partial matches and post-transplant medication to prevent complications. Mendoza is now cancer-free and sharing her story to inspire others facing similar challenges.
A 31-year-old man in the US had to have his nose removed after developing a rare fungal infection that was eating away at his face, a result of a two-in-a-million medical condition leaving him with little immunity. Following a bone marrow transplant, he developed graft versus host syndrome, causing further health complications. Despite enduring multiple surgeries and facing the risk of losing part of his intestine, he has made significant progress in his recovery and has returned to full-time duty as a firefighter.
Kaiya Endo, an 18-year-old diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood condition, is in urgent need of a stem cell transplant. However, finding a suitable donor is challenging due to her unique ethnicity (50% Japanese, 50% Caucasian) and the limited options for treatment. The risk of relapse is high, making a bone marrow transplant the only viable solution. Endo is now on Be the Match's stem cell donor registry, which emphasizes the need for diverse donors as matching is done genetically. If a match is found, Endo will undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and immunosuppressive therapy before receiving the stem cells. The struggle highlights the importance of ethnic diversity in the donor pool to increase the odds of finding a match for patients in need.