Longest Surviving Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient

"As a child, Nancy King McLean was told she might not live to be a teenager. She overcame these challenges with bravery, hope, and the love of her twin sister."

Who is Nancy, and what’s her story?

Nancy's story started in 1960 when she was a young girl. During a visit to Disneyland, she showed her mother that her gums were bleeding. This led her to the Mayo Clinic in the USA, where doctors tried many treatments, and there she received 98 blood transfusions, endured several painful bone marrow tests, and went through hormone treatments that affected her growth. Many times, doctors thought she might not survive.

"In the past, bone marrow transplantation was a new and experimental treatment. It was uncertain if patients would survive. Nancy was one of the first people to receive this treatment, and she showed what medical science could achieve."

One day, Dr. Kyle noticed Nancy’s twin sister, Bonnie, and realized that Bonnie could help. The doctors decided to do a bone marrow transplant using Bonnie’s stem cells. Back in the 1960s, bone marrow transplants were only done between identical twins, as it was the safest way. In 1963, Dr. Kyle performed his first bone marrow transplant after learning the technique from Dr. Donald Thomas, a pioneer in this field.

At that time, doctors did not have advanced tests to check tissue match. Instead, they transplanted a small piece of skin from one sister to the other to check for rejection. After the transplant, Nancy stayed in isolation for six weeks. Her illness and bleeding stopped, and she returned to a normal life.

Later in life, Nancy’s favorite moments were taking her grandchildren to Disneyland, the same place where her health journey began decades ago. This time, she was there not as a sick child, but as a joyful grandmother.  She worked as a schoolteacher and also helped children with autism. She is very thankful to her doctor, Dr. Kyle, and her sister, Bonnie, for saving her life.

Now, her story is shared with medical students, transplant patients, and families around the world. She has survived for over 50 years since then, represents hope, and shows that even the hardest struggles can lead to happy endings. and she loves spending time with her family and traveling.