PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) announced it has entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sidra Medicine, a
specialty healthcare organization for women, children and young
people in Qatar. The MOU, signed
by Dr. Iyabo Tinubu-Karch, CEO of
Sidra Medicine, and Madeline Bell,
President and CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will establish a collaboration
between CHOP and Sidra Medicine in Sidra Medicine's efforts to
create the first-ever pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT)
program in Qatar.
The MOU signing ceremony was held at CHOP and attended by H.E.
Mohammed Bin Sultan Alkuwari, Consul General of the State of Qatar in New York, as well as Dr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, Acting Chief Medical Officer
of Sidra Medicine, and Prof. Khalid
Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine. The main
objective of the MOU is to establish a working relationship between
CHOP's Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section (CTTS) and Sidra
Medicine. CHOP's CTTS will offer guidance as Sidra Medicine pursues
an in-country BMT program, provide a robust education plan for its
BMT clinical staff and assess readiness to start treating pediatric
patients.
CHOP's Blood and Marrow Transplant program is part of CTTS and
serves the needs of children who require a blood or marrow
transplant to replace stem cells to treat their illness. Transplant
is a treatment for a variety of diseases including certain types of
pediatric cancer, disorders of the blood and immune system as well
as a variety of other rare disorders and syndromes. CHOP's BMT
program has been serving the needs of pediatric patients since 1976
and is recognized for its quality, service, innovative approaches
and excellent patient outcomes. The program has one of the highest
volumes of pediatric blood and marrow transplant-eligible patients
among BMT providers in the United
States.
"CHOP is dedicated to improving health outcomes for children
across the world," said Ruth Frey,
Vice President of Global Strategy and Business Development at CHOP.
"We are thrilled about this collaboration and the opportunity to
offer CHOP's BMT expertise to support Sidra Medicine's launch of
the first-ever pediatric BMT program in Qatar."
Sidra Medicine is the only hospital in Qatar to provide pediatric hematology and
oncology care for children and young people with cancer and blood
disorders. The hospital sees approximately 70 to 100 cases of
childhood cancer cases every year, with leukemia, central nervous
system tumours and lymphoma amongst the most common.
Dr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, Acting
Chief Medical Officer and Executive Chair of Pediatrics at Sidra
Medicine, said, "As a leader in specialist pediatric care in
Qatar and the region, Sidra
Medicine is proudly working alongside the top international health
and research organizations to enhance our expertise in precision
medicine. It is truly a milestone to launch Qatar's first pediatric BMT program and we are
delighted to partner with a world-class institution like CHOP to
provide our patients with the most advanced and effective treatment
options. Taking our renowned multidisciplinary approach, different
pediatric specialties will coordinate and work as a single unit to
offer holistic and excellent care to our patients."
The BMT program at Sidra Medicine will treat patients with
various blood diseases and cancers including sickle cell disease,
thalassemia, leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors. In addition, the
program will treat pediatric patients with primary immune
deficiencies, metabolic diseases, and certain genetic and
autoimmune disorders.
In parallel to this work, CHOP and Sidra Medicine will also
explore potential collaborations on clinical research in cell and
gene therapies. CHOP has been a global leader in cell and gene
therapies in which CHOP's CTTS has played a key role in the
clinical trials, including all FDA approved therapies currently
available. These therapies involve treatment for conditions such as
sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia and adrenoleukodystrophy.
About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
A non-profit, charitable
organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the
nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing
commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new
generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering
major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many
discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric
research program is among the largest in the country. The
institution has a well-established history of providing advanced
pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which
includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and
surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital
alliances throughout Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, as well as the
Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency
department in King of Prussia. In
addition, its unique family-centered care and public service
programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate
for children and adolescents. For more information, visit
https://www.chop.edu.
About Sidra Medicine
From the heart of Qatar, Sidra Medicine, a private,
not-for-profit organization established by the Qatar Foundation for
Education, Science, and Community Development, is a leading
academic healthcare and research institution for women, children
and young people. The hospital is committed to delivering
exceptional patient and family-focused care, conducting innovative
biomedical and clinical research, and providing a personalized
journey of care and cure and precision medicine specifically for
rare diseases. To access our specialized healthcare or
international patient services, including pediatric care, women's
health, and rare disease treatment or to book a consultation at one
of our private clinics, please call +974 40033333 or visit our
website at http://www.sidra.org.
Contact:
Jennifer Lee
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
LEEJ41@chop.edu
610-800-6592
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SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia