The first adult in Canada has been cured from a 7 year battle with sickle cell anemia. Revee Agyepong, 26 years old, received donor stem cells from her sister.
Sickle cell anemia is " hereditary disease that affects the red blood cells that change them into a sickle shape and block blood vessels, which causes severe pain, a risk of stroke and organ failure. The main symptoms of sickle cell disease include pain, fatigue, arthritis, high susceptibility to bacterial infections and anemia. A faulty gene that hampers the development red blood cells usually causes the disease."
People who survive this disease will often live to their 40's or 50's normally.
In the past, stem cell transplant were successfully used to treat children, but doctors were concerned about complications arising in treating adults.
Source: the good news network