Los Angeles – A 9-year-old boy is expressing gratitude for the chance to save his father’s life by donating stem cells to help treat his leukemia.
Stephen Mondek has made history as the youngest person to donate stem cells, according to officials. This donation is aimed at helping his father kickstart a new immune system as he battles this severe blood cancer.
Dr. Nick Mondek, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2022. Initially, he received a successful stem cell transplant from his younger brother; however, the cancer returned earlier this year, and his brother is no longer eligible to donate.
“We followed all the clinical protocols, yet the disease is back, presenting us with new challenges,” said Dr. Ronald Puckett, the clinical director of the Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer. He further questioned the likelihood of treatment’s efficacy against the returning cancer.
The medical team searched for relatives and checked National Bone Marrow registries for suitable donors but found no matches. Then, Nick remembered that his best friend had received a donation from his own 18-year-old son while battling lymphoma.
This prompted him to wonder: “What about younger donors?”
It was confirmed that Stephen, sharing half of his DNA with his father, could be a potential match if their immune systems are compatible. Interestingly, while Nick’s brother was a perfect genetic match, it’s possible that Stephen could prove to be a more effective candidate in the long term.
Nick recalled telling Stephen, “Hey buddy, Dad is sick, and they need someone to give me stem cells. Do you want to see if you can help?” Without hesitation, Stephen asked, “When will you go?”
A few weeks later, following tests, blood work, and necessary conversations, father and son arrived at Cedars-Sinai. The staff described the procedure as “high-risk,” so Stephen underwent a process where a catheter was inserted into his neck to extract the stem cells.
After separating and freezing his stem cells, the family returned home for a time before returning for a six-day hospital stay. There, Nick received chemotherapy to suppress his immune system, allowing for the transplant.
“The day of the transplant is always intense,” noted Dr. Puckett. “Patients know they can’t survive without stem cells, and receiving them feels like a rebirth.”
After the transplant, Mondek stayed in the hospital for another two weeks for monitoring as his new immune system began to develop. During this time, he could not have direct contact with his family due to the fragile state of his health.
On August 16, Dr. Nick Mondek, now with a new immune system, was discharged and returned home.
“Everything lined up perfectly for us,” said Mondek. “Dr. Puckett advised that the ideal donor is young, healthy, and shares 50% of your genetics. We had him right in front of us.”
However, the journey isn’t over; it could take more than a year to see whether the new immune system can overcome his leukemia.
Dr. Puckett remains hopeful, stating, “Usually, transplants are a cure, and we’re big fans of transplants.”
The family shares this optimism, and ten-year-old Stephen is proud of his role in the process. “It feels good to save my dad, and bringing him home is a great feeling,” he said.
