When a child is sick, most parents will go to great lengths to help them. But how far is too far? One couple’s decision to save their child has led to controversy. Yet, they would do it all over again. Seven’s Lynn Martinez has their story in tonight’s special assignment report – the Little Lifesaver.

WSVN–Andy Trevino gets hugs and hits from his little sister Sofia. But this brother and sister have fought a tougher battle together.
Andres Trevino: “Andy’s 6 years old and he’s been in the hospital for more than 650 days.”
Andy was born with primary immune deficiency. His immune system wasn’t working right.
Andres Trevino: “It’s pretty scary because he kept having life threatening infections.”
Lynn Martinez: “The only option for a cure, a bone marrow transplant. But his parents say they couldn’t find a donor who was a perfect match… So they turned to more desperate measures.”
Andres Trevino: “At first it sounded like science fiction, but we decided to have another baby.”
That baby — little sis’, Sofia.
Stem cells from her umbilical cord and bone marrow would be used to make a new immune system for Andy.
To be a perfect match, fertility doctors had to make a girl. Carefully selecting the sex by separating female from male chromosomes.
Dr. Ian Hardy: “When we are literally preserving the life of this beautiful little boy, at the same time the mother giving life to this beautiful little girl, the ethics for us was simple.”
Some activists however argue making one life to save another is playing god.
Marie Sturgis: “This goes against nature because it’s man orchestrating the flow of human life.”
One year later, Andy is alive and well… And can fight off infections on his own.
He and Sofia have a bond few others in the world share.
In this family, this little girl — is a little lifesaver.
Andres Trevino: “She’s our miracle. She’s our Savior.”
Andy’s family has been keeping a diary, of sorts – a web site with thoughts, fears and medical facts they learned along the way to a cure.