Moore Girl, 4, Trying to Save Brother's Life With Bone Marrow Transplant

A bone marrow transplant could save a little boy here in the metro from a life-threatening medical condition. The donor trying to save his life is actually his 4-year-old sister.

Friday, February 8th 2013, 7:24 pm

By: News 9


A bone marrow transplant could save a little boy here in the metro from a life-threatening medical condition. The donor trying to save his life is actually his 4-year-old sister.

Little 8-year-old Keller has been living with CGD his entire life. It's a chronic disorder that weakens his immune system, so he can't fight off infections.

Now, with a bone marrow transplant from his sister, Keller could go on to live a normal life.

Olivia Morrisey-Lai is like most little girls. After pre-K, she likes play dress-up with her jewelry. But this brave 4-year-old is doing something most of us can't imagine.

Last week, doctors took some of Olivia's stem cells for a bone marrow transplant to save her brother.

Eight-year-old Keller has CGD, the medical condition that took the life of their brother, Brendan, several years ago.

"That was huge thing when we lost Brendan that I was already pregnant with Keller because after having something like that happen, in my mind.. it would have been very easy to just give up," their mother, Carly Morrisey-Lai said.

But they didn't give up.

Their family's faith has guided them to take part in a research program. They're opting for the best chance at a cure for Keller - a bone marrow transplant from Olivia.

"[The] best case scenario is that he will be cured, he'll no longer have to be on medications, [and] he'll be able to do everything outside that a normal little boy does," Morrisey-Lai said.

They knew it would be scary for Olivia, but so far she's been a fighter, just like her big brother.

"I do feel like this is what God's plan is for us," Morrisey-Lai said.

Keller, Olivia and their parents will leave for Maryland next month for the transplant. It's about a 4-month process, and they're hopeful because Olivia is such a perfect match.

There are less than 6,000 cases of CGD in the United States.

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