June 2022 – Our “Roots & Wings” program continues to take flight! By providing travel and support to families whose child has been identified with a potentially life-threatening PI, we hope make life easier, reduce their burden, and enable as many children as possible to have a second chance at life.
Today, I want to share the story of one of our "Roots & Wings" patients, ElexandroCordova, who is from Peru. In December 2018, at just six months old, Elexandro was diagnosed with IPEX. Thankfully, he was under the care of Dr. Juan Aldave, one of our excellent physicians in the JMF Peruvian Centers Network. Dr. Aldave and his colleagues worked to secure a humanitarian aid (free) bone marrow transplant for Elexandro at Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome in January 2019, just one month after he was officially diagnosed.
On February 12, 2019, Elexandro and his family traveled to Rome to prepare for his transplant, with transportation sponsored by our “Roots & Wings” program. Once settled, Elexandro was seen by physicians at Bambino Gesu, but fell critically ill for several weeks before his transplant. Thanks to the outstanding care of his medical team, Elexandro recovered well and received his bone marrow transplant at Bambino Gesu on May 22, 2019.
While Elexandro recovered from his transplant and his health was monitored in Rome, back in Peru, Dr. Aldave continued to work hard for other patients. Dr. Aldave is the director of the Jeffrey Modell Infusion Center in Peru, one of two locations in the world. His center is an annual recipient of our WIN Grant, and he also participates in the “Jeffrey’s Insights” genetic sequencing program, which continues to produce unbelievable results and discoveries. Dr. Aldave has also received a research grant from JMF to support his ongoing investigations.
Dr. Aldave is an extraordinary care provider and followed Elexandro’s recovery until he was cleared to return home to Lima, Peru with his mother on July 31, 2020. Today, Elexandro is happy and healthy. For him, every day is a special day! We are forever grateful and thankful to his physicians for their support and care and providing him with a second chance at life.