In 1987, at the young age of 4, an American boy named Matthew Farrow was diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia. It is a rare genetic disease that causes congenital defects, abnormalities of the skin, short stature, kidney problems and a shortened lifespan. The umbilical cord blood sample was collected after Matthew’s sister was born, then cryogenically frozen and stored at a facility in Indianapolis. It was then flown to Paris where the procedure was performed by Dr. Eliane Gluckman of the Hôpital Saint-Louis. Matthew’s cord blood stem cell transplant was a success and he was cured of Fanconi anaemia. He hopes that his story of being the world’s first successful umbilical cord blood transplant recipient will encourage more parents to consider preserving their child’s umbilical cord blood – an important decision that could protect their child’s health in the future.

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