NJ Girl Gets Transplant After Visa Flap Resolved

A 5-year-old New Jersey girl with leukemia has received a bone marrow transplant from her older Salvadoran sister whose initial attempt to come to the United States was blocked.

Yarelis Bonilla received the transplant Tuesday at Hackensack University Medical Center from 7-year-old Gisselle Bonilla Ramirez.

The older sister lives with the girls' grandmother in El Salvador. She was determined to be a perfect match for a transplant.

The U.S. government twice denied a visitor visa, but ended up granting a humanitarian visa allowing her to come to the U.S. solely for the transplant.

Doctors say Yarelis will remain in the hospital for four to six weeks. Her older sister is already out and her family says she'll return to El Salvador within the 90-day limit.

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