Walnut : Boy Gets New Bone Marrow

University of Minnesota doctors are observing 2-year-old Ryan Worthington to see if last week’s bone marrow transplant surgery was successful, said his mother, Tracy Worthington.

The Walnut boy suffers from Hurler’s Syndrome, a rare metabolic disease that could claim his life by age 10.

His first bone marrow transplant in August was unsuccessful, and his parents were concerned that he might not have the strength to survive a second.

But Tracy Worthington said her son is resting comfortably at the University of Minnesota children’s hospital, watching “Sesame Street” videos. In about two weeks, doctors will know whether Ryan’s body accepts the transplant, she said.

If untreated, the disease causes bone and skeletal malformations as well as mental retardation.

Worthington and her husband lost a child to Hurler’s Syndrome four years ago and had launched a national marrow search for Ryan.