Emma Whitehead was near death, this odd treatment saved her life

Jun 21, 2013 13:40 GMT  ·  By

If you're looking to have your mind blown (into smithereens, I might add) check out the video above. I for one can honestly say that it has totally made my day.

The video tells the story of how a 6-year-old girl named Emma Whitehead had her leukemia cured with the help of HIV.

Yup, doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia purposely injected HIV into this little girl, and ended up saving her life.

The HIV form that they used to treat Emma was a disabled one, the doctors explain. Once inside her body, it reprogrammed her immune system, causing it to seek and destroy cancer cells.

Despite feeling sick for a while, the girl eventually got better. It appears that she is still in complete remission.

Presently, this treatment option is highly controversial and most doctors would not even think about resorting to it. Still, Emma's story brings new hope for the future.