A woman who received Japan's first bone marrow transplant 35 years ago has told how it gave her a second chance at life.
She was speaking as the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Irish original took place at St James's Hospital. dublin.
Measil Hourihane, 61, received a transplant from his older brother Des in 1989 after being diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia at the age of 27.
Without this treatment, she likely would have died.
Mairsil was diagnosed when she went to see her GP thinking she might have torn a muscle while sailing.
She was prescribed painkillers, but “they didn't really help and by the end of the week I was in pain,” she recalls.
After initial tests, she was sent to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin and diagnosed within a day. The only hope of returning to a normal life was a bone marrow transplant.
She said: “My parents and three siblings were all tested as potential donors and one of them was identified as a donor match.
“Once we had a donor and were ready for the transplant, we had to install a catheter, have our whole-body radiation dose measured, and take various medications, one of which we had to inject every day. But it was terrifying.
“I was admitted to St James’s Hospital on Friday and underwent extensive chemotherapy over the weekend.
“On Monday, I was taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Hospital, where I underwent radiation therapy. As soon as I was back in the isolation room, my brother's bone marrow was given to me through an IV drip.”
She recovered for three weeks in isolation and another three weeks in a hospital ward.
But within a year of her diagnosis, her life returned to normal.
Mairsil, now 61, says: “I've never looked back since.” The team here has always been great, because I still come here for bi-annual reviews.
“I see some of the same faces here, from the woman who cleaned my room when I was in quarantine to the doctors, nurses and all the other staff, and it’s just been amazing.
“At the time, my transplant was groundbreaking. Now it's routine, but I wouldn't be where I am today without it. It's amazing what they can do.”
first patient
of country The first bone marrow transplant, led by Professor Sean McCann, took place in June 1984 and since then more than 3,750 bone marrow transplants have been carried out at St James's Hospital.
This procedure is used for blood-related treatments cancer These include leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, as well as rare bone marrow failure diseases and some tumors.
The goal is to cure the cancer or keep it in remission for as long as possible.
“Great system”
Healthy cells are transplanted from one person to another, and in some cases that person can also use their own healthy cells.
Mr. Mairsil added: “My family is very close and we all would have done it without a doubt. I have 32 cousins and they all offered to get tested.
“This is a great system now, because back then you didn't have the option of an anonymous donor. It's a bone marrow registry where you can register as a donor.”
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