Bone Marrow Transplant

A bone marrow transplant, also called a stem cell transplant, replaces bone marrow that can no longer make enough healthy blood cells with healthy blood-forming stem cells, given either from the patient or from a donor. It is one of the most important treatments for blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and for some non-cancerous marrow and immune disorders, in both adults and children. Patients travel abroad for a bone marrow transplant to reach specialised transplant units with the protected environment, donor matching and intensive support that the treatment demands. It is a multi-stage process rather than a single operation, needing thorough preparation, a long supervised stay and careful follow-up, but for the right patient it can restore healthy blood production and offer a lasting cure.