04 June 2008

Finding NEMO's Happy Ending

A young boy has reputedly become the first child in the UK to be cured of a rare genetic illness.

Rhys Harris, 7, from Newbridge, south Wales, has survived treatment, which has given him a new immune system.

Rhys had to endure living in a 'plastic bubble' - which ensured he was kept in sterile isolation – for two months, meaning his parents couldn't touch him.

Rhys was diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease called NEMO which affects the immune system and other organs of the body, when he was three.

The disease, of which there have only been 40 reported cases since 2001, rendered his immune system deficient.

Experts at Newcastle General Hospital gave young Rhys only a one in three chance of survival.

However, when a bone marrow was found in the United States, Rhys underwent a life saving transplant - before which his own bone marrow was killed by chemotherapy.

Mario Abinun, Consultant Paediatric Immunologist at Newcastle General Hospital said that Rhys "has already gotten over a few hurdles and all the indicators and laboratory reports show he is doing fine".

Mr Abinun added that Rhys will not be given a clean bill of health until at least the autumn.

Rhys' father, Kevin, 44 said he knew it was a "slim chance" the treatment might work but he and his wife, Dawn, had to take it.

"The flipside of the coin just wasn't worth thinking about," he said.

(DS)