Back in the game after stem cell transplant

By Irene Sege Some 100 days after receiving a stem cell transplant to cure his severe aplastic anemia, Behaylu Barry still couldn’t invite friends into his home. He wouldn’t be returning to school until January because his immune system needs the time to get strong enough to fight the pathogens present in indoor spaces. But 13-year-old Behaylu was doing so well that his doctor cleared him to play soccer – outdoors, of course — for the first time since February, when he was diagnosed with the life-threatening blood disorder shortly before he was to join the competitive soccer team that had just selected him. So Behaylu recently walked on the field with his old traveling team, the Exeter (NH) Hawks, for a two-game pre-season tournament. The Hawks won, 4-1 and 6-1, with Behaylu, playing center midfield, scoring two assists in the first game, three in the second – and a goal in the second game with a head shot from the corner. His mother, Midori Kobayashi, cheered so much and so loudly that she lost her voice. “Soccer is always pretty awesome,” Behaylu says. “This is the biggest step back to a normal life. One of them was swimming. One was hanging out with friends. Playing soccer is two steps. It’s one giant leap.” “I know he pushed himself beyond his limits,” says his father, Aidan Barry. “But he’s 13. What do you do? Put him in a cage? It was a magical time for everyone.” As rare as severe aplastic anemia is, Behaylu’s story is particularly u...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Aplastic anemia Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Transplant center Stem cell Stem Cell Transplant Program Source Type: news