Sister Donates Stem Cells to Save Brother’s Life

An 11-year-old boy battles severe aplastic anaemia

• His 10-year-old sister donates stem cells to save him

• A touching Raksha Bandhan story at KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur

• Brave fight and a rare recovery thanks to the sibling’s courage

• Successful treatment led by Dr. Chandana Mareddy and the team

Hyderabad, July 15, 2025: As the festival of Raksha Bandhan approaches, a celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters, a truly heartwarming story has unfolded at KIMS Cuddles Hospital in Kondapur, Hyderabad. A 10-year-old girl went far beyond the tradition of tying a rakhi. She donated her stem cells to save the life of her 11-year-old brother suffering from severe aplastic anaemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder where the bone marrow stops producing enough blood cells.

A Race against Time

According to Dr. Chandana Mareddy, Consultant Paediatric Haematologist, Oncologist, and Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist at KIMS Cuddles, the boy hails from a modest family in Warangal. When he was admitted, he was running a high fever and had alarmingly low levels of haemoglobin, platelets, and neutrophils—key components of blood. He was in critical condition, and after a thorough diagnosis, it was confirmed he had severe aplastic anaemia. This condition affects only about 6.8 out of every one million children.

Stem cell therapy was the only viable option. The team requested that a close relative donate stem cells, and that’s when the boy’s 10-year-old sister stepped up courageously. Without hesitation, she said she was ready to do anything to save her brother. Her stem cells were collected and transplanted into her brother.

The Miracle of Stem Cells

Typically, a bone marrow transplant takes over three weeks for the body to accept and begin functioning, during which patients are highly vulnerable to infections and must take immunosuppressive drugs. However, with a stem cell transplant, recovery can begin faster, and in this case, the boy was discharged within three weeks.

The Boy's Unshakable Courage

Dr. Chandana emphasised the boy’s extraordinary courage and positive attitude throughout the process. Despite his young age, he insisted on starting treatment immediately and spoke eagerly about returning to school and playing again. Even though the transplant was a half-matchhis sister’s stem cells were not a full genetic match, he responded exceptionally well. Usually, half-match transplants carry higher risks of complications like infections, mouth ulcers, hair loss, nausea, and appetite loss. But this brave boy defied all odds and recovered without any major issues. He remained upbeat and even encouraged his anxious parents throughout the ordeal.

Hospital Support and Financial Aid

Treatments of this kind are generally costly. Recognising the family’s financial limitations, KIMS Cuddles extended significant discounts and supported the entire treatment process. Thanks to this and the expertise of the medical team, the boy has now been discharged and is on the path to full recovery.

Dr. Chandana also credited the success to the collaboration of various departments. Paediatric intensive care specialists Dr. Avinash, Dr. Kalyan, Dr. Vidya, along with the radiation oncology team, lab technicians, blood bank staff, and others, all played a vital role. The effort was coordinated under the leadership of Dr. Parag, Clinical Director of the Paediatrics Department and Head of PICU, and Dr. V. Sudheer, Medical Director.