How Do Stem Cells Work

Roxanne was diagnosed at eighteen months of age with aplastic anemia. How do stem cells work asked her parents had never heard of this disease, there was no mention of it in either of their family's medical history. But they soon learned aplastic anemia is a disease in which the capacity for the bone marrow to generate red blood cells is compromised and thus considered defective.

It was hard for them to believe their beautiful little newborn was stricken with such a horrible disease. Roxanne was put on medications as soon as the disease was discovered and weekly blood transfusions followed to help sustain her fragile little immune system.

Suddenly this family's main focus was on the disease that had suddenly and quite thoroughly taken over every "normal" aspect of their lives. Roxanne's parents watched almost helplessly as their only child endured treatment after treatment. Often times Roxanne's eyes would be glued to Blues Clues as she endured what had become for her a routine blood transfusion. Soon Roxanne and her parents had lives filled with many hospital visits.

Today seemed like a similar day at the hospital for now two and a half year old Roxanne, the difference being that today her transfusion will contain cord blood rich in naïve stem cells from her infant brother. Stem cells that everyone hopes will save her life.

In the chaos of stress and hospital visits Roxanne's young mother failed to notice the first signs of a second pregnancy. What at first seemed to be an overwhelming occurrence soon turned into a blessing of the most miraculous kind.

When the pregnancy was ascertained, nurses at the hospital where Roxanne had spent countless hours, immediately suggested a cord blood transplant. The service, information and assistance that Roxanne's family received through the whole process of placing the newborns cord blood in storage with the Cord blood Registry (CBR) was nothing short of amazing.

After undergoing chemotherapy to completely destroy her damaged immune system Roxanne received her brothers cord blood. She now shares the same blood type as her brother, a completely different type than she first had.

In Roxanne's case her sibling was a perfect match. CBR's Designated Transplant Program waived much of the cost to Roxanne's young family. Not only do these diseases take their toll on the tiny patients who have to deal with the stark reality of hospital visits at very early age, the entire family is affected.