Expert Care for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders

At the Haley Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, we understand how difficult it can be for your child to be diagnosed with cancer or another serious condition. Our partnership with the Orlando Health Cancer Institute means we offer all the services of a top-rated cancer center and a trusted pediatric hospital. Your child can receive a transplant and follow-up care in one location, so you don’t have to worry about traveling to other cities or hospitals. And the caring and experienced experts in our Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy program will guide you and your child through the entire treatment process, providing support every step of the way.

What Is Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy?

A bone marrow transplant, which also is called a stem cell transplant, is a procedure that adds healthy stem cells to your child’s body. These stem cells then stimulate new bone marrow growth, which in turn produces blood cells. Stem cells can turn into platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells, which your child’s body needs to function. 

A bone marrow transplant treats cancer and other blood or immune system disorders. It replaces the cancerous or damaged cells inside the marrow with healthy ones. Our transplant team can use your child’s stem cells, cells from a donor or cells from umbilical cord blood.

Advantages for Pediatric Patients

For children, bone marrow transplant can offer specific treatment advantages, including:

• Replacing diseased bone marrow with healthy, functioning bone marrow for conditions such as leukemia, aplastic anemia and sickle cell anemia
• Regenerating a new immune system that will fight leukemia or other cancers not killed by the chemotherapy or radiation
• Replacing the bone marrow and restoring its normal function after chemotherapy or radiation are given to treat a malignancy. This process is known as a rescue. This is done for such diseases as lymphoma, neuroblastoma and high risk brain tumors
• Replacing bone marrow with genetically healthy bone marrow to prevent more damage from a genetic disease such as Hurler's syndrome and adrenoleukodystrophy

Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Team

Led by Dr. Rikin Shah, the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy team includes oncologists, advanced practice providers, pathologists, radiologists, nurses, therapists, child-life specialists, researchers and counselors who work together to help you and your child.

Support Services for Your Family

At Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, we know that families are essential in helping children heal. That’s why we offer a full range of support services for both the adults and children in your child’s life, including:

• Child Life Program: Our certified specialists have received specific training on ways to help children and teens have positive healthcare experiences. Our child life team focuses on reducing the stress and uncertainty of medical visits and procedures by providing individualized care — including play and learning — based on your child’s age, development, background, temperament and past medical experiences.
• Palliative Care: Our team works to maximize the quality of life for our patients so every child can experience the best days possible. Our experts help advise families through the difficult decisions about care.
• Survivorship Program: We believe in ongoing support for our pediatric cancer survivors at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Our Follow-up After Cancer Treatment (FACT) Program helps your child stay healthy and cancer-free. The FACT Program is the first and oldest program for child, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in Central Florida.

Contact Us

For more information or to request treatment, please call us at (321) 841-8588.