World’s first recipient of Car-T cancer therapy is now 17

Emily Whitehead welcomes news Car-T is available to Irish children with leukaemia

Dr Gillian Hendy (left) of Avectas, the Irish cell engineering company, meets Emily Whitehead, who, as a seven-year-old, was the first child patient worldwide to have her cancer successfully treated by Car-T cell therapy, where her own cells were re-engineered to fight her cancer. Ten years on, she was in Dublin to meet companies, oncologists and patient advocates working in the area. Car-T cell therapy this week became available to Irish children with leukaemia. In the background are Emily's parents, Tom and Kari. Photograph: Fennells

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up to the Business Today newsletter for the latest new and commentary in your inbox

  • Listen to Inside Business podcast for a look at business and economics from an Irish perspective