“It was a high risk disease and we found out that the chemotherapy was not effective. We took the stem cells from the patient’s bone marrow, collected it, preserved it for one month, purified it and then used it for the transplant. After transplantation she was made to stay in a sterilised room till the stem cells engrafted,” said Ashis Mukherjee, medical director, NCRI.

“It will, however, take another six months for her to fully recover and continue with her daily life,” Mukherjee added.

Of the 75,000 people, who are diagnosed with cancer in Bengal every year, only a few children suffer from neuroblastoma. According to Ritwik Pandey, an oncologist from NCRI, stem cells have the power to regenerate into any specalised or non-specialised cells and are used for diseases like Parkinson, leukemia, skin grafts, diabetes and cancer.

“I have reason to hope once again. My daughter lost out on a normal life when she was diagnosed with cancer, but now she is better. We spent Rs 4 to 5 lakh on her treatment,” said Paramita’s father Kantik Aich.