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
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
![](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/JVF3YKNC6EQY5RFHSHGK7CWZCA.jpg?auth=2c7e8a246ea9f70d49ef1f1fecf49bd161b5ba450c69a2165b983a5b81fc25a8&smart=true&width=1024&height=576)