Kai’s mother becomes his half-matched donor, giving the two-year-old a new chance at life
Abu Dhabi, UAE – 24 May 2026: Yas Clinic Khalifa City, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), has successfully performed an urgent bone marrow transplant for a two-year-old child diagnosed with Hyper-IgM Syndrome, a rare inherited immune disorder, through the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Program (AD-BMT®).
The procedure followed a complex treatment journey that required rapid intervention by a multidisciplinary team, careful donor selection and critical clinical decision-making within a limited timeframe, in close coordination with the child’s family.
Kai was diagnosed with Hyper-IgM Syndrome early in life after developing severe and recurrent infections that threatened his health and, at one stage, required admission to the Intensive Care Unit and respiratory support.
He also developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection affecting the blood and lungs, in addition to Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a serious lung infection that can occur in patients with severely weakened immune systems.
Following treatment for these infections, Kai continued to receive monthly immunoglobulin replacement therapy to support his immune system before being referred for bone marrow transplantation to address the underlying immune deficiency.
With Kai continuing to require blood and platelet transfusions and his immune system not recovering sufficiently, he remained vulnerable to serious infections and further complications.
Given his condition, the multidisciplinary team at Yas Clinic Khalifa City and Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center determined that an urgent bone marrow transplant was required, with the treatment plan needing to be implemented within a critical timeframe.
Kai’s mother, who was identified as a half-matched, or haploidentical, donor, was selected for the transplant, while the multidisciplinary team worked to stabilize his condition, manage complications and prepare him for the procedure.
The transplant was successfully completed, and the donor cells began to engraft and function. Kai’s condition gradually improved, and he currently shows no signs of active infection. He is clinically stable and preparing to return home with his family.
The case highlights the importance of timely clinical decision-making, multidisciplinary expertise and access to advanced transplantation capabilities when managing highly complex pediatric cases.
Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, Chief Medical Officer at Yas Clinic Khalifa City, said:
“Advanced bone marrow transplantation is not defined by the procedure alone. It requires the expertise, infrastructure and ability to respond rapidly when a patient’s clinical condition changes unexpectedly. Kai’s case demonstrates the strength of the integrated model we have built at Yas Clinic in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center, where our teams were able to assess his condition, identify a suitable donor and move rapidly toward a life-saving transplant at a stage when every clinical decision was critical.”
She added:
“Through the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Program, we bring together specialized clinical expertise with advanced bone marrow and stem cell transplantation capabilities to manage some of the most complex conditions affecting children and adults. Most importantly, these capabilities translate into new treatment possibilities and better outcomes for patients and their families.”
Dr. Mansi, Consultant in Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation and Kai’s treating physician, said:
“Kai came to us with a rare inherited immune disorder that had caused serious infections from an early stage of his life and had previously required intensive care. With his immune system unable to recover adequately, an urgent bone marrow transplant became necessary.”
She added:
“His mother was identified as a half-matched donor, and our multidisciplinary teams worked rapidly to prepare him for the procedure. The transplant was successful, the donor cells have begun functioning, and Kai currently has no active infection. He is clinically doing well and preparing to return home, which is a highly meaningful outcome after such a complex treatment journey.”
Hyper-IgM Syndrome is a rare group of inherited immune deficiencies that affect the immune system’s ability to produce a normal antibody response, leaving affected children more vulnerable to recurrent and potentially serious infections.
For eligible patients, bone marrow transplantation can help establish a new donor-derived immune system, addressing the underlying immune deficiency and reducing the risk of severe infections.
Kai’s case also highlights the importance of haploidentical transplantation, which enables a partially matched parent or family member to serve as a donor when a fully matched donor is not available.
The successful transplant reflects the advanced capabilities available through the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Program (AD-BMT®) at Yas Clinic Khalifa City, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center, in managing complex adult and pediatric transplant cases, including immune disorders, rare genetic diseases and other high-risk conditions requiring individualized treatment strategies.
By combining Yas Clinic’s multidisciplinary clinical expertise with ADSCC’s advanced capabilities in stem cell science, laboratory medicine and cellular therapies, the partnership provides an integrated treatment pathway extending from diagnosis and donor selection to transplantation and specialized follow-up.
Yas Clinic, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), continues to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a regional hub for medical innovation by providing advanced healthcare services and specialized treatment solutions supported by leading medical expertise and cutting-edge technologies, in line with the highest international standards.
About Yas Clinic and Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center
Yas Clinic, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), is among the UAE’s leading providers of advanced healthcare services, bringing together specialized medical expertise and modern technologies to deliver comprehensive diagnostic and treatment solutions across a wide range of medical and surgical specialties.
Yas Clinic and ADSCC continue to support Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a regional center for healthcare innovation by providing advanced treatments and highly specialized medical services in line with the highest international standards.