Today Sarah Murnaghan begins a brand new chapter in her young life. The 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl received a new set of lungs yesterday in a transplant operation.
Those lungs that came from an adult donor, made possible when the age restrictions for transplants were lifted this week, but only for one year.
Doctors call Sarah's prognosis good. CNN's Jason Carroll is in Philadelphia with the latest.
A scary new warning from the World Health Organization about a virus they say could threaten the entire planet. There are already 49 cases of this new strain of a corona-virus in eight countries. There is no prevention, no cure, and it's killing half the people it infects.
- CNN's Mary Snow reports
READ MORE: Should I be concerned about new virus?
CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent explains new research that could impact our understanding of stem cells. This breakthrough is noteworthy because based on this research these stem cells would be 'genetically identical to you,' says Cohen. This is very important because this way your body will not reject the stem cells.
This new research would allow for samples of an individual’s skin cells to be retrieved, and then turned into an embryo. From this point these embryos would then be made into stem cells. At this point researches are only at the stage where they have taken cells and turned them into embryotic stem cells. However, looking into the future these replicated stem cells could be used to create cardiac muscle, nerve cells or bone marrow cells.
These replicated stem cells could be used to help patients with diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and even Leukemia.
Researchers estimate it could be another five-ten years before this research is complete.
READ MORE: Scientists report first success in cloning human stem cells
CNN's Nischelle turner on the stunning revelation by Angelina Jolie regarding her preventive double mastectomy. Jolie revealed her decision in a New York Times Op-Ed.
In her op-ed Jolie addresses why she decided to have the preventative double mastectomy, and why it was so important for her to share her story to bring awareness to other women. She states in her op-ed, "I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."
A health story that has two moms are taking on food giant Kraft. They started a petition online calling on Kraft to remove two ingredients from its "Mac and Cheese," a staple in the diets of thousands of children. These mom food bloggers say the ingredients that give it its bright yellow food color are dangerous.
Now more than 220-thousand people have signed on, asking Kraft to take out the artificial colorings yellow #5 and yellow #6. They point to studies linking artificial food colorings to hyperactivity in children, and cancer in mice. Kraft has already removed them for the European versions of the popular food. Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth investigates the story.
The science behind the findings is inconclusive, Cohen reports. “There was a study done in England where they gave some kids food with these dyes in it and then gave some kids food without," Cohen explains. "And they said that they then observed that the kids who had the dyes were more hyperactive." This resulted in the ban in the United Kingdom. But other scientists claim it wasn't well done study, because the hyperactivity could have been due to other ingredients.
Cohen advises concerned parents to make their own decision or their own mac and cheese.
Actress Valerie Harper, best known for her days on the hit shows "Rhoda" and The Mary Tyler Moore Show has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called that's affecting her brain. CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains exactly what her rare condition is and what Harper is facing.
“This is not a tumor,” Cohen says. Loose cells in Harper’s spinal fluid are affecting her meninges, or the covering over the brain. "There are not a lot of great treatments for this," Cohen says.
CNN is told Harper is receiving chemotherapy. Doctors say "chemotherapy in this case, isn't really done to prolong life," but will help control pain and seizures for the time being, Cohen says. It may prolong life by a few weeks, but not by a lot. “She was told by her doctors [she has] about three months,” Cohen says. “It’s really a terrible, terrible form of cancer.”
Meanwhile, Harper is staying strong, appearing on talk shows to raise awareness about her illness with some inspiring words.
There's a new bacteria that medical professionals are worried could become a 'nightmare.' It's called CRE, a form of bacteria that is "impervious to a lot of antibiotics," and "is on the rise," Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen reports.
A report from the CDC says that in 2012, 200 hospitals and long-term care facilities had at least one incidence of this bacteria, Cohen reports. “It is spread, basically, by the hands of people who work in hospitals,” she says.
Cohen explains how you can protect yourself as a patient, starting with asking doctors and nurses to clean their hands and cleaning your own hands.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is fighting a new infection, and his breathing problems have worsened, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said late Monday.
"There is a worsening of the respiratory function, related to the state of his depressed immune system," Villegas said, reading an official statement on state-run VTV.
He reported Chavez is battling a new and "severe" infection, stressing that his overall condition remains "very delicate." Chavez is undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments, he said.
"The president continues to hold fast to Christ and to life, aware of the difficulties he's facing," Villegas said.
This morning on "Early Start," Shasta Darlington reports on the latest in Chavez's condition.
Read More: Battling a new infection, Chavez has breathing problems
Actor Taye Diggs may be best known for his starring roles on the TV drama "Private Practice" and as the opportunistic landlord in Jonathan Larson's groundbreaking musical, “Rent.” But now he has a new role on the national stage working to fight child hunger in America. He's teaming up with Kellogg's as a paid spokesman, to help with their "Share Breakfast" campaign.
Kellogg's is pledging $1 million to breakfast programs to help the one in five U.S. children who start each day without breakfast. This is national breakfast week and Diggs comes to “Early Start” to share more on the campaign.
A staggering 16.7 million children currently struggle with hunger in United States. “People don't realize that this is an issue we are dealing with in our own country,” Diggs says. “So I teamed up with Kellogg's and we are participating in the Share Breakfast program, which is focusing on getting over a million breakfasts out to kids that otherwise would go without.” He says their ultimate goal is to end childhood hunger.
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