The first child to receive a stem cell-supported trachea transplant, in March 2010 at Great Ormond Street Hospital in the United Kingdom, Ciaran continues to do well post-transplant. Like Elizabeth, Ciaran was born under dire circumstances. He was diagnosed with long segment tracheal stenosis, a condition which leaves sufferers with a very narrow windpipe and difficulties breathing. Dr. Paolo De Coppi, part of Ciaran’s transplant team, believes that the success of Ciaran’s procedure points to a future in which these cells can be used to grow more complex organs which are made up of different types of tissues.
The Vatican
APRIL 26-28, 2018
