Aissam, who is now 12, grew up in a poor region of Morocco, a country in North Africa. There were no teachers trained to educate a person who was Deaf, so Aissam couldn’t go to school and never learned to speak. To communicate with his family, Aissam created his own version of sign language. Then, last year, his family moved to Spain, where he learned Spanish sign language, allowing him to interact with more people. A hearing specialist examined Aissam. Afterward, the doctor gave him incredible news: He was eligible for a clinical trial, or experimental study, that could allow him to hear. But to take part, Aissam would have to travel to the United States.
On October 4, 2023, doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania performed a pioneering gene therapy procedure on Aissam. Doctors inserted a working gene, or unit of hereditary information, into cells in Aissam’s right ear to cure his hearing loss. The treatment had never been attempted before, and doctors weren’t sure how well it would work. Thankfully, it succeeded beyond their expectations! In the year since, several more children with the same type of deafness have taken part in the experiment—with similar successful results. “It’s very rewarding to be able to do this miraculous type of treatment,” says Dr. John Germiller, who performed Aissam’s procedure.