10-Year-Old Donates Stem Cells to Save Brother in Rare Blood Disorder Case
A heartwarming Raksha Bandhan story from Hyderabad sees a young sister stepping up to save her critically ill brother battling severe aplastic anaemia
As the festival of Raksha Bandhan draws near—a celebration of sibling love—a powerful and moving story has emerged from KIMS Cuddles Hospital in Kondapur. In a life-saving act far beyond the symbolic rakhi, a 10-year-old girl donated her stem cells to save her 11-year-old brother, who was fighting a rare and life-threatening condition: severe aplastic anaemia.
The boy, from a modest family in Warangal, was admitted in a critical condition with dangerously low levels of haemoglobin, platelets, and neutrophils. “His body had almost stopped producing blood,” said Dr. Chandana Mareddy, Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist at KIMS Cuddles. After confirming the diagnosis, doctors concluded that stem cell therapy was the only viable treatment option.
That’s when his younger sister stepped forward, courageously volunteering to donate her stem cells despite being just 10 years old. The transplant was a half-match, meaning her cells were not a perfect genetic match — a procedure typically riskier — yet the boy responded exceptionally well.
“Despite the odds, he showed remarkable resilience. He remained cheerful throughout and motivated even his anxious parents,” said Dr. Chandana. The recovery was unusually smooth. Unlike traditional bone marrow transplants that require over three weeks of vulnerable recovery time, the boy was discharged within three weeks without major complications.
KIMS Cuddles also supported the family financially, offering heavy discounts to make the treatment possible. Dr. Chandana credited the success to the teamwork of specialists across departments, including Dr. Avinash, Dr. Kalyan, and Dr. Vidya from PICU, as well as the radiation oncology, laboratory, and blood bank teams. The effort was led under the guidance of Dr. Parag, Clinical Director of Pediatrics and Head of PICU, and Dr. V. Sudheer, Medical Director.
This story of courage, love, and healing stands as a living symbol of what Raksha Bandhan truly represents — a sibling’s promise to protect, no matter the cost.