The Hungarian girls were born in 2011 and during pregnancy the parents decided to preserve stem cells from umbilical cord blood of both daughters. At birth, the doctors opted for a Caesarean section. The girls developed as healthy children, but when they were four months old, the entire left arm and leg one of them, Léna, suddenly froze and she could hardly control it. The parents started with physical therapy, but it did not bring the expected improvement. On the recommendation of the physiotherapist they turned to a neurologist, who diagnosed cerebral palsy. In December 2013 the family cord blood bank of Cord Blood Center Group (CBC Group) under the Helping Hand programme enabled Léna to receive treatment in the USA at Duke University Hospital.
When Léna was two years old, she underwent treatment with own stem cells from her umbilical cord blood.
“I never expected that we would need to use the collected blood so soon. I am grateful that we decided to keep our twins’ stem cells from their umbilical cord blood,”
said the mother of girls. After administering cord blood the doctors state that the gross motor skills of Léna correspond to her age, but in terms of fine motor skills there is still noticeable difference between the twins. Léna though has a strong will and is trying to use her left hand as much as possible. The primary objective of Léna’s mother is that her daughter becomes a well-balanced and happy person who accepts herself.
