11-month-old Pakistani baby finds a new lease of life in Bengaluru

In Bengaluru, a miraculous medical journey unfolded for 11-month-old Samawiyah, hailing from Karachi, Pakistan.

Samawiyah was confronted with a dire diagnosis of infantile osteopetrosis, a recessive genetic disorder caused by mutated genes, when she was just five months old. This condition renders bones rigid like marble and poses a life-threatening threat.

Dr. Sunil Bhat, Vice-Chairman of Oncology and Director of Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Narayana Health City, who spearheaded Samawiyah's treatment, elaborated on the severity of the condition, stating that the stiffening of bones leads to nerve compression, resulting in vision and hearing loss, among other complications.

The sole curative solution available for Samawiyah was a bone marrow transplant, a procedure designed to replace faulty genes with healthy ones. Unfortunately, there were no suitable donors within Samawiyah's immediate family, and the search for a compatible donor outside the family proved challenging due to the absence of a donor registry in Pakistan.

In March of this year, Samawiyah was brought to Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, where she underwent a groundbreaking bone marrow transplant. The surgical team, led by Dr. Sunil Bhat, employed graft manipulation techniques to pass and modify the donor's stem cells through a specialized system.

Fast forward four months, and Samawiyah embodies the spirit of resilience. She has emerged completely cured of infantile osteopetrosis, according to Dr. Bhat.

On September 17, she and her parents returned to Pakistan. With her blood now comprising 100% donor cells, Samawiyah has embarked on a fresh start in her homeland.