International effort brought rare genetic in-uterine treatment to an Ottawa toddler

Ottawa toddler Ayla Bashir made history when she was born in the summer of 2021. She was the first child to be successfully treated in the womb for the same devastating genetic illness that had taken the lives of her two older sisters. Through the coordination between The University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) medical hospital in the U.S. (the originator of the treatment protocol), and CHEO, the rare in-uterine treatment was made possible for Ayla here in Ottawa. The treatment has had positive outcomes to-date for the toddler and given hope to her parents.