First Successful Bone Marrow Transplant
E. Donnall Thomas performed the first successful bone marrow transplant
August 12, 1956
Replacing the Blood Factory
Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside bones that produces blood cells — red cells, white cells, and platelets. When the marrow is damaged by disease or destroyed by cancer treatment, a transplant can replace it with healthy cells. The first successful bone marrow transplant in humans was performed in 1968 at the University of Minnesota by Dr. Robert Good and his team. The patient was a five-month-old boy with a severe immune deficiency called SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency). After receiving marrow from his sister, he survived and developed a functioning immune system.
How the Procedure Works
In a bone marrow transplant, the patient first receives high doses of chemotherapy or radiation to destroy their existing marrow. Then, donor stem cells are infused into the bloodstream through an IV. The cells travel to the bones and, over several weeks, begin producing new blood cells. Finding a matching donor is critical — the closer the genetic match, the lower the risk of rejection or a dangerous complication called graft-versus-host disease, in which the donor cells attack the patient's body.
Saving Lives From Leukemia and Beyond
Today, bone marrow transplants are a standard treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, and certain immune disorders. About 50,000 transplants are performed worldwide each year. Registries like Be The Match connect patients with unrelated donors from around the world. The 1968 surgery was the first proof that stem cells from one person could rebuild another person's blood system — a foundation that eventually led to modern stem cell therapies and cell-based cancer treatments. Use our date calculator to see how long ago this breakthrough happened.