<\/p>\n
When Zhao was born in 2015, she started suffering from fever and diarrhoea from just 8 days old. Her older sister had the same symptoms and tragically died at 5 months old, so her parents feared they might lose Zhao too. So, they turned to the Children\u2019s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai.<\/p>\n
At the University, the family found out that Zhao had a Very Early Onset form of Irritable Bowel Disease (VEO-IBS); a rare condition caused by an inherited genetic mutation. The deficiency in the defective gene led to severe problems with Zhao\u2019s immune system, which cause malnourishment, intestinal abscesses and fistulas.<\/p>\n
The only effective treatment is a stem cell transplant\u2026 It can help to repair the genetic deformity and control the symptoms of the disease<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
– Huang Ying, MD PhD, Children\u2019s Hospital of Fudan University<\/cite><\/p>\n
In 2015, Zhao became one of very few babies to receive a cord blood stem cell transplant for VEO-IBS with IL10RA immune deficiency. The successful transplants were carried out using low-intensity chemotherapy conditioning, with positive results within 1-3 months. Thanks to this pioneering transplant, Zhao\u2019s condition has improved greatly and she should lead a happy, healthy life.<\/p>\n