Case Study: New Orleans Teen Survives Cancer Thanks to Sister's Stem Cells

Quentin Murray, a resilient 15-year-old from New Orleans, and his family recently had the opportunity to share their extraordinary journey on an international platform. Quentin, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 5, became the first person globally to undergo a groundbreaking stem cell transplant utilizing cells from both the placenta and umbilical cord blood of his younger sister, Jory, who is now 10.

Dr. Robert Hariri, the founder of Celularity, a biotechnology company instrumental in developing the life-saving technology, expressed amazement at Quentin's progress, noting that he is now a decade into remission. The Murray family, including Quentin, Jory, and their mother Mary Webb, a teacher in New Orleans, was invited to speak at the Unite to Cure: The Fourth International Vatican Conference in Vatican City in April. During the event, they presented an award recognizing medical innovators to Dr. Hariri.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the form of cancer Quentin battled, typically presents a grim 30 percent chance of survival. The unique procedure, part of a pilot study, involved collaborative efforts from Children's Hospital, LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical Center, and Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, a biotech company spun out from Celularity.

Reflecting on her son's incredible journey, Mary Webb sees Quentin as a resilient superhero, conquering adversity with determination. Quentin's symptoms first appeared when he was just 4 years old, with an unusually swollen eye and subsequent pain in his left arm. Despite numerous doctor visits and uncertainty, Quentin's diagnosis of leukemia at Children's Hospital in New Orleans was confirmed, with a lowered survival rate due to specific genetic markers.

The family explored the possibility of Quentin's sister, Jory, being a bone marrow match. The odds were against them, as the genetic likelihood for a sibling match is typically low. However, Quentin and Jory turned out to be a close match, defying the statistical probabilities.

Jory's birth in December 2007 facilitated the extraction of blood from her umbilical cord and placenta, marking the genesis of Quentin's life-changing transplant. The speedy acceptance of the transplant by Quentin's system allowed him to produce healthy blood cells less than a month post-transplant.

Now, 10 years into remission, Quentin continues his treatment, acknowledging the rarity of the opportunity he was given. Despite routine doctor visits, Quentin, like any teenager, eagerly anticipates the summer break and looks forward to starting high school at Rooted School on St. Charles Avenue in the fall. Passionate about playing the trombone, he aspires to be a musician, bringing his inspirational journey full circle.

Source: https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/health_fitness/article_765ceea2-6065-5e1d-9dd5-1fcfd2ec7d29.html?fbclid=IwAR2o0xtL0GV7ncWfix7kOJr_IWehvk2rEzC7fD-xtNpZZH9N1DnZhgtAYsg