Five year old Joanna from Badajoz can now look forward to a life just like any other little girl after the donation of an umbilical cord by an Australian hospital.
Last year, Joanna was diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia, a condition only curable through a bone marrow transplant. After months of waiting for a suitable donor, an umbilical cord was offered by a hospital in Australia.
The operation was carried out in Madrid. Joanna will need to return to the hospital each month for a check-up and will need to take medication for quite some time, but in a few months time she should be able to return to school and lead a normal life.