Aditi Shankar is only eight years old but she's already made history. Several weeks ago she received a present from her mum in the form of an innovative kidney transplant that doesn't require her to take long term drugs to stop her body from rejecting the organ.

In doing so, she became the first child in the UK to receive a rejection-free kidney. Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital reprogrammed her immune system using bone marrow stem cells from her mother – which meant her body didn't reject her new kidney.

In just a few weeks after the transplant Aditi has made rapid progress. Doctors were able to take her off immunosuppression drugs, which she took as a precaution, which means she'll avoid any risk of long term side effects from the powerful medication.

Normally, transplant patients have to take drugs on a daily basis for the rest of their lives but for Aditi there are no such worries. She's now returned to school and her immune system and kidney are working perfectly well.

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Aditi was born with a rare genetic condition, known as Schimke's immuno-osseous dysplasia, which weakened her immune system and caused her kidneys to begin failing. 

Specialists at the hospital held conversations with international colleagues about carrying out a special type of transplant that has been used on other children with the same condition. 

Her parents agreed and a plant was put in place. Firstly, Aditi underwent a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from her mother, Divya, to rebuild her immune system. Then, six months later, she underwent the transplant using her mother's kidney.

The family are relieved and delighted. Divya told the PA Media press agency: "I was so happy to give her blood cells and a kidney. I just feel so proud." Aditi said she's delighted that she can now "go swimming."

Could more patients undergo the same treatment?

For scientists, the operation also opens up exciting possibilities, but it could be many more years before this type of transplant is carried out on a wider scale.

Kidney Research UK chair of trustees Prof Jeremy Hughes said: "Like any new treatment, it is not without risk and in this case as stem-cell transplantation means the patient must also undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"However, for a patient to receive a transplant and not require a lifetime of immunosuppressant medication is a significant breakthrough and whilst at this time the process is limited in scope, it does open the door for further future development that could have the potential to overcome one of the major challenges in transplantation care."

For Professor Stephen Marks, children's kidney specialist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Aditi's future health is the most important development. He said: "It really is great to see that she is an active eight-year-old girl, back to school, able to have an excellent quality of life."  

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