ON April 17 last year, 11-year-old Liew Yong Tai underwent a successful stem cell transplant at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, using his younger sibling Sin Yee's cord blood stem cells, which had been stored with StemLife.

Since he was a year old, Yong Tai had been living with beta-thalassaemia major because he was unable to find a tissue match, even with his other sibling.

"His health deteriorated and he lacked the energy to play with his schoolmates. He had to to stop school for almost a year as he could no longer concentrate in classes or do his homework. The experience was frustrating for us all," recalls his mother, Than Ya Liew, who decided to have Sin Yee in the hopes of finding a tissue match for her son.

"I am so glad that I decided to have a third child. Sin Yee's cord blood stem cells were a perfect HLA match with Yong Tai's," said Than.

The successful transplant was the beginning of a different life for Yong Tai and his family.
"After only two months of hospitalisation, post-transplant, Yong Tai no longer needed blood transfusions. He is more energetic and has become more enthusiastic about school. More importantly, he is very happy and healthy," said Than.

For more information about stem cells for thalassaemia, log on to www.StemLife.com -The Star/ANN