Bone marrow from China to help a child in US
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-18 08:37

MILWAUKEE -- The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin expects to receive bone marrow from China in two to four weeks in hope of helping an 8-year-old girl with a potentially deadly disease.

Kailee Wells was first diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a failure of the bone marrow, nearly four years ago. She and her parents learned a perfectly matched bone marrow donor, a young man, has been found in her native land in China.

"It is exciting cooperation," said David A. Margolis, a physician at Children's Hospital who is coordinating Kailee's treatment. "It is humanity coming together to help a child."

Linda and Owen Wells adopted Kailee from China after her birth mother left her at an orphanage in Hunan Province. The family had planned to return to China to find a donor.

"There's nothing more important than this sweet girl," Owen Wells said. "Now we have everything we need: a perfect match for non-related bone marrow donor ... In Kailee's words, 'I will be rid of my stupid aplastic anemia."'

Kailee's illness wasn't discovered until she developed a 105-degree fever the night of her fifth birthday when the family lived in Albuquerque, N.M.

Aplastic anemia remains uncommon -- about 1,000 new cases are discovered each year. While many are cured, Kailee has a severe form of the disease and needs a bone marrow transplant.

Her symptoms have worsened recently.

Page:

1

2

Close

Kidman named richest young Aussie star Jackie Chan:too old for film fights Dog competition in Zhejiang

Today's Top News     Top Life News
President Hu ends 10-day trip with call for co-operation         China sets up new oil group to meet demands         China's North Korea proposal hits snags         Summit endorses watered-down UN reform         Mainland population below 1.37 billion by 2010         Music giants sue Baidu over music downloads	A chat mistress' cautionary tale       Pure pig organ donors?       China's Joan Chen game at Spanish film fest       Bone marrow from China to help a child in US       Zellweger asks for privacy during breakup       30% of pregnancies unintended