UAE: Baby, who caught Dubai Ruler's attention, gets life-saving treatment

The baby girl, who won the hearts of UAE residents after the Ruler of Dubai personally promised to sponsor the treatment needed to save her life, successfully received the required gene therapy on Thursday.

"Beautiful baby Laveen received the genetics treatment for spinal muscular atrophy successfully today," said Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital in a post on its official Instagram account.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Al Jalila Children's (@jalilachildrens)

The one-year-old was the subject of an emotional plea on social media by her parents, Iraqi nationals Ibrahim Jabbar Mohammed and his wife Massar Mundhar, who acted in desperation when they learnt her treatment would cost Dh8 million.

Tagging His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the post, Massar begged for assistance for Lavine, who suffers from a rare and fatal genetic disease called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

The therapy - which includes a one-time infusion of the drug Zolgensma (AVXS-101) - is considered the world's most expensive treatment.