http://www.wearecentralpa.com/story/d/story/easier-stem-cell-transplants/42480/OQwU8CBHKEuXukq2IuK-QQ
Many people say their family's the most important thing in their life, but one man proved that in a way most people will never get the chance to.
Sal Briguglio and his son Tore built a paintball park from the ground up. But about a year ago, they weren't having this much fun. Something was wrong with Sal.
Sal was diagnosed with a-plastic anemia, a fatal disease of the blood. The only cure - a stem cell transplant.
Dr. Rizwan Romee, a bone marrow transplant specialist says, "I was very worried at the time that he would not make it and what was heart breaking is that he did not have any brother or sister who was a full match."
Doctors decided to do a half-match transplant, meaning any child of Sal's would work. Five weeks after the transplant, Sal is back in the park, getting stronger every day.
But Dr. Romee is pioneering another transplant breakthrough. In the future, Sal's son would not have had to go through the painful bone marrow donor procedure. Instead, Tore would be able to take medicine to move the stem cells from the spine into his blood.
"Then, it makes it very easy and simple to just put a vein in, the donors often watch TV for 3, 4 hours or read a magazine, and that's how we get it," Dr. Romee says.
Dr Romee says with this new procedure, there's less chance of infection, and less chance of rejection. The half-matched transplants are now being done in a handful of hospitals across the country.
Many people say their family's the most important thing in their life, but one man proved that in a way most people will never get the chance to.
Sal Briguglio and his son Tore built a paintball park from the ground up. But about a year ago, they weren't having this much fun. Something was wrong with Sal.
Sal was diagnosed with a-plastic anemia, a fatal disease of the blood. The only cure - a stem cell transplant.
Dr. Rizwan Romee, a bone marrow transplant specialist says, "I was very worried at the time that he would not make it and what was heart breaking is that he did not have any brother or sister who was a full match."
Doctors decided to do a half-match transplant, meaning any child of Sal's would work. Five weeks after the transplant, Sal is back in the park, getting stronger every day.
But Dr. Romee is pioneering another transplant breakthrough. In the future, Sal's son would not have had to go through the painful bone marrow donor procedure. Instead, Tore would be able to take medicine to move the stem cells from the spine into his blood.
"Then, it makes it very easy and simple to just put a vein in, the donors often watch TV for 3, 4 hours or read a magazine, and that's how we get it," Dr. Romee says.
Dr Romee says with this new procedure, there's less chance of infection, and less chance of rejection. The half-matched transplants are now being done in a handful of hospitals across the country.