First Case of Unknown donor’s cord blood cells for Thal In India

Encouraging Development for those that wish they had a matching sibling for their child. Damini (Story below) is the first patient to undergo Unrelated Donor Cord Blood Cell Transplant in India. The transplant is done at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. Hope she gets cured.

From:- http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwOC8wMi8wNyNBcjAxMDAx&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Mumbai: A child from Kalwa near Thane could become the first patient in India to be cured of thalassemia with the help of an unknown donor’s cord blood cells. On Monday, four-year-old Damini Mhatre’s treatment began in an antiseptic recovery room in Jaslok Hospital that is going to be her home for the next 45 to 60 days.

   Damini’s story has all the makings of a medical cliffhanger—if the transplant is a success, she will be cured of thalassemia (a genetic blood disorder in which red blood cells are not produced properly) and could live a long normal life, but “if not, she won’t pull through’’. The admission comes from medical oncologist Dr Maheboob Basade, who is conducting the transplant.

   Damini’s parents Anil and Alka Mhatre are tense but prepared for the worst. “In the last three years, we have seen over six children die. We got to know of them during the regular blood transfusions that Damini had to undergo as part of thalassemia management,’’ says Alka, who wants her shy daughter to have the chance of leading a normal and healthy life. “There is no chance of her becoming bedridden or something midway as part of the treatment, is there? It is cure or nothing, right?’’ she asks Dr Basade, trying to reaffirm the finer details of her daughter’s treatment.

   The usual treatment for thalassemia for those who can afford it is a bone marrow transplant (soft tissue of bone where blood cells are produced) from a sibling\unrelated donor or stem cells (or master cells of the body). Stem cells retrieved from the umbilical cord of a younger sibling during birth are emerging as another option. The umbilical option is still a nascent science in India, but has been tested. Here too, cord blood cells from unrelated donors remain a big challenge.

   “Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel, Apollo Chennai and a few others have used unrelated cord blood cells to treat blood disorders such as leukemia and aplastic anaemia. We may be using it for the first time for thalassemia,’’ says Dr Maheboob Basade, who is conducting Damini’s transplant. The West, though, has used cord blood cells—even from unrelated donors—in a couple of thousand cases to cure thalassemia as well as a host of other disorders. “Cord blood transplant is a tested modality of treatment,’’ says Dr Aashish Bakshi from Tata Memorial Hospital.

   In April 2007, a Ugandan child became India’s first case of successful bone marrow transplant from unrelated cord blood cells. “The child was treated for aplastic anaemia. Last week, he came for a check-up and is doing fine,’’ says Dr Revathi Raja who treated the child at Apollo Speciality Hospital in Chennai. In Damini’s case, as she is the only child of the Mhatres, the only option for a cure was with umbilical cord cells from a donor, says Dr Basade.

   The Mhatres began their search for Damini’s cure at Tata Memorial Hospital over a year ago. “We found out about cord blood cell transplants here. We were told that only two hospitals in India, Jaslok and Apollo Chennai, would take up Damini’s case

Thanks for sharing Narendra, keep us updated.

Praying for the success of the Transplant

Dear Narender

Thanks for the valuable information

I pray to god from deep of my heart  that Damini come out successfully from this may god bles this child and her parents


Rupali

Narendra,

Thanks for sharing the story.

I truely hope that Damini comes out successful from the procedure. I greatly admire her parents determination and strength to go thru the procedure fully knowing the odds. I do not have the strength to undergo a procedure that do not gurantee 100% success rate. My daughter is too precious even for a 0.1% chance of failure.

Any futher update on same

Thanks for sharing Narendra, keep us updated.

Praying for the success of the Transplant

Thank you narendra you have given a ray of hope to my child. can you let us know the cost envolved.is there no HLA matching for this transplant.

Hi Narendra,

Just read your post on Damini,s case. I have written to the doctor Dr Maheboob Basade from Jaslok Hospital enquiring about the outcome of the transplant as I too am interested in doing a bmt for my 17mth old daughter who is a thal major.

Sad to say the transplant failed and she didn't make it. 

God Bless her soul

OH ,It's very sad 

Oh no, that is so heartbreaking 

May her soul rest in peace and may the family find courage to bear the loss.

This is indeed very sad.  Hope the parents have the support to pull through.
Jade

no words.  " sorry".

ohhhhhhhhh there were definitelypeople waitin 4 the positive outcomebut alas
here one more hope is broken neways..........we r livin wth it n still have trust in the almighty

It's a very sad news for all of us . God bless her soul

Hi Narendra,

Just read your post on Damini,s case. I have written to the doctor Dr Maheboob Basade from Jaslok Hospital enquiring about the outcome of the transplant as I too am interested in doing a bmt for my 17mth old daughter who is a thal major.

Sad to say the transplant failed and she didn't make it. 

God Bless her soul