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UK Teen Saved by 12-Year-Old Spanish Cord Blood
25 Nov
Summary
- A British teen's life was saved by cord blood from a Spanish baby.
- The life-saving transplant occurred 12 years after the cord blood was donated.
- Lyra Cassell battled a rare and aggressive form of leukemia.
A British teenager, Lyra Cassell, has shared her remarkable recovery story, attributing her survival to a life-saving cord blood transplant facilitated by a donation made in Spain 12 years ago. At 16, Lyra was diagnosed with precursor T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, an aggressive and rare blood cancer. Following intensive chemotherapy that failed to eradicate the disease, doctors opted for a unique treatment.
Lyra received a transplant of approximately 20ml of cord blood. This blood, rich in stem cells, was collected from a newborn baby in Spain in 2010 and had been preserved. The transplant, performed after further chemotherapy and total body irradiation, proved successful, leading to Lyra being declared cancer-free in May 2022.
Her experience has inspired Lyra to advocate for organ, blood, and stem cell donation, encouraging others to register. She also aims to pursue a career in occupational therapy, motivated by her own rehabilitation journey and the desire to help others regain their identity and normality after illness.
