A 17-year-old girl donated her stem cells to her 10-year-old brother, helping him recover from a second relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), as Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC) near Chandigarh successfully completed its first allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT). The child, originally from Durgapur, West Bengal, was discharged in good health on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, following weeks of intensive post-transplant monitoring.

Background: A Second Relapse and a Long Journey

The boy was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and, after an initial treatment cycle, suffered a second relapse in April. His family travelled from Durgapur to HBCH&RC, a unit of Tata Memorial Centre under the Department of Atomic Energy, seeking advanced care. Following intensive chemotherapy, he achieved remission. Given the elevated risk of further recurrence, the medical team recommended an allogeneic stem cell transplant as the best curative option — a procedure in which a patient's diseased blood-forming system is replaced with healthy stem cells from a compatible donor.

The Transplant: Sister Steps Up as Donor

Detailed donor evaluation identified the boy's elder sister as the most compatible match. Her stem cells were collected and infused intravenously into her brother. The transplanted cells successfully engrafted, and the child responded well to subsequent monitoring and supportive care.

Pediatric hematologist and BMT physician Dr Jasmeet Sidhu described the outcome: 'The patient's elder sister was identified as the most suitable donor after detailed donor evaluation. Her stem cells were collected and infused into her brother through a vein. The transplanted cells successfully engrafted and, following close monitoring and supportive care, the child has now recovered and was discharged from the hospital, in good health, on Tuesday. We will continue to closely monitor him during the post-transplant period.'

Hospital Facilities and Financial Support

Head of Medical Oncology Dr Seema Gulia noted that the hospital's dedicated paediatric oncology unit is equipped with modern treatment modalities including monoclonal antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, immunotherapies, and targeted therapies. She added that treatment at HBCH&RC is 'highly subsidised', making advanced cancer care accessible to families from across the region.

The hospital's medical social work team facilitated more than ₹14 lakh in financial assistance for the family through government schemes and corporate social responsibility (CSR) support, and also arranged accommodation during the treatment period.

A Milestone for North India's Cancer Care

Hospital Director Dr Ashish Gulia called the outcome 'not only a medical milestone but a deeply human one', adding that the hospital ensured the family was supported 'medically, emotionally, as well as financially.'

Since its BMT programme launched in 2024, HBCH&RC has performed 15 stem cell transplants and 3 CAR-T cell therapy infusions, broadening access to potentially curative treatments for patients with difficult-to-treat blood cancers across North India. The hospital has positioned itself as an affordable referral centre for complex haematological malignancies in the region, and the medical team says it will continue close post-transplant surveillance of the young patient in the weeks ahead.