Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital opened the Catholic Hematology Hospital Thursday as the country’s first hospital that specializes in treating blood diseases.

The hospital was created by extending and renewing its existing hematopoietic stem cell transplant center. The stem cell transplant center has accumulated an impressive list of firsts in its field. Last year, it became the first institution in the world to complete more than 7,000 hematopoietic stem cell transplants, according to St. Mary’s.

Catholic Hematology Hospital consists of six specialized centers categorized by disease type. The six centers are based on treating acute leukemia, chronic leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, aplastic anemia, platelet transplantation and collaboration, platelet transfusion and cooperation center, and pediatric hematology, according to the hospital.

The institution will group the medical professionals and wards of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, and Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital into one network while acting as the control tower for the specialized treatment of blood diseases of eight affiliated hospitals, it said.

Professor Kim Dong-wook from St. Mary’s department of hematology, internationally renowned in the field of chronic myelogenous leukemia, will serve as its head.