"Wešre thrilled that we could offer this to Mollie and are optimistic that the transplant will help control her disease that was otherwise uncontrollable," said Ted Moore, M.D., director of Doernbecheršs Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program. "The transplant today went smoothly and Mollie is doing great."

Last August, physicians from Mollie's health plan, Kaiser Permanente, and from Doernbecher approved the procedure, making Mollie one of the first patients in the United States OKšd for a stem cell transplant to treat an autoimmune disease. Several children in the Netherlands, whose own stem cells were transplanted into them after doctors shut down their immune systems with radiation and chemotherapy, have reportedly had a remission in their arthritic symptoms.

Mollie is expected to remain in the hospital for about four to six weeks while her bone marrow grows back. She will be followed for the next several months to assess the impact of this therapy on her disease.

Mollie, who lives in Canby with her parents, two sisters and a brother, is doing well and is in great spirits.