Press release
Minister for Health attends 40th anniversary of the first bone marrow transplant in Ireland
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today attended the 40th anniversary of the first bone marrow transplant in Ireland, at St James’s Hospital. The Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT) Service in St James’s Hospital was founded in 1984 and has since performed more than 3,750 stem cell and bone marrow transplants. The service oversees transplants in almost 200 patients each year.
At the event, the Minister thanked the people involved with performing the first bone marrow transplant and establishing the haematology services at St James’s Hospital.
Speaking at the event in St James’s Hospital, Minister Donnelly said:
"I'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first bone marrow transfusion. It is important to take time to recognise the innovation, collaboration, and hard work of the last 40 years."
Minister Donnelly thanked the organisations whose services facilitate the number of bone marrow transplants that take place nationally, and acknowledged in particular the work of, the Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, St Lukes’s Radiation Oncology Network and the Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry.
The Minister also paid tribute to donors, and the role they play in facilitating the many bone marrow transplants that take place. The Minister highlighted that in 2023, 2,385 new volunteers provided blood samples to join the Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry.
Minister Donnelly added:
"I'd also like to take this opportunity to recognise the strong strategic direction of the National Cancer Strategy and ongoing investment by this government in cancer services, over €1 million has been allocated to establish adult CAR T-cell therapy here at St. James’s Hospital and the paediatric service at CHI Crumlin.
"By providing access to this service in St James’s Hospital, patients no longer have to travel to the UK to avail of this treatment. This means they can remain closer to their home, families, and support networks, which provides more comfort and peace of mind on the journey to recovery."
The SCT Unit includes the National Adult Allogeneic Transplant Programme, (allogeneic transplant means using stem cells from a family member or an unrelated matching donor), and an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Program, (autologous transplant means using your own stem cells).
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by changing them in the lab so they can find and destroy cancer cells. The process involves collecting a patient’s own T-cells — a type of immune response cell — and preparing them for export in the hospital’s on-site stem cell laboratory. The cells are then sent to a specialised overseas facility where they’re re-engineered to target cancer cells. They are then reintroduced into the patient’s bloodstream. This therapy is currently licensed to treat specific blood cancers, including Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NH).
St James’s Hospital has been designated as the National Centre for Adult CAR T-cell therapy and has been delivering this treatment since December 2021.