Emily Whitehead is now your typical third grader. She goes to Girl Scouts, plays volleyball and lives a healthy life.
But that hasn't always been the case.
Just over a year ago, Emily’s acute lymphoblastic leukemia returned and was not responding to chemotherapy.
Desperate to help her get better, Emily’s doctors in Philadelphia turned to a clinical trial using T cell therapy.
Moffitt Cancer Center is developing the same clinic trial.
“It is a miracle,” said Dr. Bijal Shah with the MCC. “I think there's reason that is has gotten the press that it has gotten.”
Emily was injected with a disabled form of the HIV virus bio-engineered to leave healthy cells untouched and to go after the cancer.
“Reprogrammed T cells for them to be allowed to identify and kill leukemia cells," said Javier Pinilla, with the MCC.
In Emily’s clinical trial group, 24 out of 27 patients achieved complete remission.
“When you see a patient like this young girl, it inspires hope and that's something we want to be able to give to our patients,” said Dr. Shah.