If you or someone you know s*uffers from s*ickle cell d*isease, hope is on the way. Iesha Thomas, who s*uffered from the d*isease herself, is the first person to be cured. This is huge!!!
DATE POSTED: Jun 18, 2012
Sickle cell affects 1 in every 500 African Americans in the U.S. But, the good news is, this d*isease might be on its way out.
Fingers crossed.
Iesha Thomas, 33, was living with the d*isease that progressively got worse. It really wreaked h*avoc on her life after she gave birth to her daughter, resulting in her needing repeat b*lood t*ransfusions and 2 hip replacements due to bone d*amage.
The d*isease can be extremely p*ainful. What happens is a defect that causes the oxygen-carrying red b*lood cells to take on a s*ickle-like appearance. The b*lood cells deliver less oxygen to the body’s t*issues, causing severe p*ain, s*troke, and even organ d*amage.
But a great breakthrough has occurred! Thomas is the first patient in the midwest to be cured of the Sickle Cell D*isease.
“I just want to be at home with my daughter every day and every night,” said Thomas.
Physicians at the University of Illinois H*ospital & Health Science System performed a procedure using m*edication to s*uppress her immune system and a small dose of total body r*adiation before doing the stem cell t*ransplant. The procedure allows for the patient’s own bone marrow to coexist with that of the donor. The goal of the t*ransplant is for the stem cells to gradually take over the b*one marrow’s role in producing normal, and healthy red b*lood cells.
Congrats Iesha. How amazing! We’re rooting for you and all people s*uffering from s*ickle cell for complete health and healing. This procedure could really turn things around.