For patients living with certain Primary Immunodeficiencies, a bone marrow transplant may be the appropriate solution for treatment. A bone marrow transplant is often suggested for some of the most common PIs including Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS), and Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD).
Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside our bones that houses our immune cells. Because PI is a result of a non-functioning immune system, new immune cells are used to rebuild and replace the damaged or broken-down defense network. The specific type of transplant that PI patients typically undergo is known as an allogenic stem cell transplant, which means the patient is matched with a relative or unrelated donor whose cells are genetically compatible.
Before the transplant, patients typically undergo chemotherapy or radiation to get rid of their original stem cells to prepare their body for the donor cells. When a transplant is successful, the body starts to build a new, healthy immune system from the donated cells or cord blood.
In certain countries, appropriate care for PI and some treatment options can be hard to access. This is why we are so proud of our “Roots & Wings” program, which provides travel and related support to children and their families who have been identified with a potentially life-threatening PI that requires lifesaving medical care far away from home. The program gives children and their families a second chance at life after transplant! Learn more about our “Roots & Wings” program in the Airport section of our website.