Toddler's Stem Cells Used in Baghdad Bone Marrow Transplant

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A medical team at Baghdad's Medical City complex performed a bone marrow transplant on a 9-year-old girl being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, using stem cells collected from her 1.5-year-old sister, the Health Ministry announced. The younger sibling became Iraq's youngest stem cell donor following the procedure, achieving a 100 percent tissue match, according to the ministry. The transplant was carried out at the Center for Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow, one of the specialized facilities within the Medical City complex. The operation involved coordination among the medical team, nurses, support health staff and anesthesia personnel at the center. The ministry reported that both the young patient and her donor sister are in good health following the procedure.