https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/your-hospital-visit/gosh-families/alyssas-gosh-family/

Alyssa's GOSH family

Alyssa from Leicester started coming to GOSH when she was 13 years old. She had been diagnosed with with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) the year before, but sadly all conventional therapies for her cancer, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, weren't working.

In May 2022, she became the first reported patient in the world to receive base-edited T-cells to treat her ‘incurable’ T cell leukaemia.

She was admitted to the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit at GOSH, to receive genetically modified CAR T-cells that originally came from a healthy donor. These cells had been edited using new base-editing technology to allow them to hunt down and kill the cancerous T-cells without attacking each other.

Just 28 days later, she was in remission and went on the receive a second bone marrow transplant to restore her immune system. As part of her care and clinical trial, she lived on Robin Ward for four months, where she was cared for by staff from oncology, haematology, physiotherapy, the GOSH school, our play team and many more.

Scroll through the pictures below to see just some of the teams that have come together to support her and her family.

  • A young girl in a bright pink dress, surrounded by ten people dressed in white lab coats.

    Alyssa and her immunology and cell therapy family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, surrounded by seven people dressed, three in blue tops, two in green, one in white and one in blue.

    Alyssa and her GOSH bone marrow transplant and Car-T cell therapy family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with a man in a black t-shirt. He has his arm around her.

    Alyssa and her GOSH cleaning family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with eight women all wearing pink or purple t-shirts.

    Alyssa and her GOSH play team family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with ten people all smiling at the camera.

    Alyssa and her GOSH Robin ward family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with three people in blue tops, all smiling at the camera.

    Alyssa and her GOSH physiotherapy family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with three people in blue tops and green tops, all smiling at the camera.

    Alyssa and GOSH Charity family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with a group of people, all smiling at the camera.

    Alyssa and her GOSH research and development team family

  • A young girl in with short brown hair and a bright pink dress, stood with a group of people, all smiling at the camera.

    Alyssa and her GOSH reception team family

Relaxing at home with new dog, Holly © Family’s own

World-first treatment

In May 2022, Alyssa, became the first reported patient in the world to receive base-edited T-cells at GOSH, in collaboration with the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH).

Read more about Alyssa's story