Watching the 'bubble boy' recover

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By Nicola Smith BBC Wales Rhys Harris has made a good recovery

When I met Rhys Harris in February last year, life was slipping away from him.

He was terminally ill. His little body simply couldn't fight infection.

The seven- year-old was born with the incredibly rare genetic condition, Nemo, and it was crippling his immune system.

Just like any other little boy, he loved to play, especially with his brother Morgan. And when I arrived with a tv camera, he was more than a little inquisitive. Wearing the headphones, squeezing the big furry microphone, was all part of a big game.

But as the months progressed, he got weaker, and weaker.

He couldn't tell his parents how he felt because he's deaf. Meningitis has robbed him of his hearing. But through sign language, they understood he was in pain.

His only chance of survival was a bone marrow transplant. Doctors would have to wipe out his immune system, and replace it with a new one, from donated bone marrow.

So the hunt for a donor began. Every time I spoke to his parents, they were a little more desperate.

They just couldn't find a match. But then, in July, after a worldwide search, they found their ray of hope in America.

So, from their home near Newbridge in the Gwent Valleys, the Harris family moved to Newcastle.

Rhys had to have his immune system replaced

The city is home to one of only two specialist bone marrow transplant units in the whole of the UK. And there was a space for Rhys.

His hospital room was a sterile "bubble". His parents had to surgically scrub up just to sit next to him. For two months, a kiss or a cuddle was out of the question.

Perhaps most heartbreaking of all was that Morgan wasn't allowed to see Rhys. The risk of transferring germs was simply too high.

On the 18 October 2007, the Harris's allowed me to film Rhys on the most important day of his life. Transplant day.

I was amazed at the simplicity of the procedure. No operation was needed. The bag was simply hooked up to a machine, and one press of a button started the transplant running. After that, it was up to Rhys.

And he survived. When I returned to Ward 23 at Newcastle General Hospital seven weeks later, he was a different little boy. The twinkle in his eye was back.

Last month, doctors told his parents they believed he was finally clear of Nemo. His new immune system was functioning just like it should.

And today, perhaps the biggest milestone of all for the Harris family.

They're coming home to Wales. Saying goodbye to the doctors and nurses who helped save Rhys's life was difficult. They have become friends during this long, and difficult journey.

But now, the Harris's are looking forward to returning to the home that they've all missed, for so long.