City of Hope shared a post on LinkedIn:
“This year, we are proudly celebrating the 50th anniversary of our pioneering bone marrow transplant (BMT) program. At the heart of this milestone are patients like Tammy.
Tammy was just 4 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia while living in China. Following the advice of a friend, her parents made the immediate decision to come to the U.S. so their only child could receive care at City of Hope. Tammy underwent more than two years of chemotherapy at City of Hope Children’s Cancer Center. When treatment ended, her family hoped the hardest chapter was behind them. But six months later, her leukemia returned. A bone marrow transplant became her best chance for lasting remission.
On August 3, 2022, Tammy received a lifesaving transplant from Jessica, a medical technician from Chicago. At the time, Tammy and her family knew very little about her donor, only that someone chose to help a child they had never met.
Nearly two years later, Tammy and Jessica were reunited for the first time at the 48th BMT Reunion, a day Tammy’s family will never forget.
‘Words cannot express what her donation means to us,’ said Tammy’s mom, Yi.
Today, Tammy is 11 years old and in fifth grade. She loves drawing, is especially good at math and is focused on school and being a kid.
Join us on May 1 as we celebrate five decades of breakthroughs.”
Saro Armenian, Director of the Division of Outcomes Research, Director of the Center for Survivorship and Outcomes, Hematologic Malignancies Institute, and Barron Hilton Chair and Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics at City of Hope, shared a City of Hope’s post, adding:
“So much hope for a brighter future for our pediatric patients at the City of Hope Children’s Cancer Center.
As we celebrate 50 years of our pioneering Bone Marrow Transplant program, stories like Tammy’s remind us what this work is truly about: courageous children, selfless donors, and the extraordinary BMT teams who make lasting remission possible.
We look forward to gathering with our patients, survivors, and their families on May 1 to celebrate how far we’ve come and the future we continue to build together.”
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