First Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant For Sickle Cell In Buffalo

While most teens are cramming for exams or heading off to soccer/football practices, Kayla Rushing has been waiting at Oishei hospital for a bone marrow transplant.

Andrei Malov

Luckily, her wish to get healthy is now in sight. Kayla is the first patient to receive a bone marrow transplant for Sickle Cell in Buffalo.

Channel 4 reports,

The procedure took place through a partnership with Roswell Park and Oishei Children's Hospital. Dr. Steven Ambrusko is the Director of Sickle Cell and Hemoglobinopathy services program. He says this procedure is the first step towards a larger initiative to ensure children with Sickle Cell Disease in Buffalo get the care they need.

It also seems some sisterly love helped.

In order to perform the bone marrow transplant, Kayla Rushing needed a donor. Kayla's younger sister Amaya was a half-match. The hope is that giving Kayla healthy bone marrow from Amaya will allow her body to produce healthy red blood cells.

To find out more about Kayla, click here.

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