A 6-year-old boy named Julian “Juju” Castaneda Figueroa from Compton, California, has been hailed as a superhero for his resilience in battling an aggressive form of childhood leukemia. Juju was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the age of two, and his case was classified as high-risk due to his age and white blood cell count. After traditional chemotherapy treatments failed, Juju and his mother were referred to City of Hope, where he underwent a cord blood transplant using stem cells derived from stored umbilical cord blood. Although a perfect match was not available from a family member, doctors found a 99% match from a nonrelative. The transplant was successful, but the cancer returned in June 2020.
To combat the relapsed leukemia, Juju received CAR T cell therapy, a revolutionary treatment that re-engineers a patient’s immune cells to target and destroy cancer. The CAR T treatment achieved remission, and a second bone marrow transplant was performed using cells from Juju’s father as the donor. The second transplant took place in early 2021 and had some complications, but Juju ultimately recovered and is now in good health. His remarkable journey serves as a testament to the advancements in cancer treatments and the perseverance of both patients and healthcare providers. Juju’s mother emphasizes the importance of never losing hope in the face of such challenges.
