A 23-year-old woman from Chennai, diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), an aggressive and high-risk blood cancer, has successfully undergone a life-saving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant at Rela Hospital, Chennai, using donor stem cells transported from Poland amid international air transport disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The patient, an IT professional, had initially presented with persistent fever, severe fatigue, weakness, repeated infections, and prolonged illness. Investigations including bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetic analysis, and molecular testing confirmed high-risk AML with multiple genetic abnormalities, making the disease more aggressive and requiring urgent transplant.

As no suitable donor was available within the family, the hospital collaborated with DKMS Foundation, a global non-profit that connects blood cancer patients with unrelated stem cell donors. A compatible donor was identified in Poland, and the stem cells were transported under specialised conditions despite major logistical disruptions. DKMS also waived donor procurement and transport costs of nearly ₹10 lakh due to the patient’s financial constraints.

The transplant was performed by Divya M., clinical haematologist and bone marrow transplant specialist at Rela Hospital, along with a multidisciplinary team including critical care, infectious disease, pulmonology, cardiology, transfusion medicine specialists and transplant nursing staff.

Post-transplant, the patient was managed in a dedicated isolation unit under strict infection-control protocols and achieved successful engraftment before being discharged in stable condition.

The patient is recovering well and remains under regular haematology follow-up, according to a release from the hospital.