Stem cells for optic-nerve hypoplasia

[TonyinDallas]

From a Joplin news paper article.
WEBB CITY, Mo. ? Rylea Barlett was born blind six years ago today. Her optic nerves did not develop. She was diagnosed when she was a few months old. Doctor after doctor gave her no hope of ever seeing.
On July 4, the girl received the first of five stem-cell transplants. The stem cells were from umbilical cords. The transplants were done in a remote hospital in China.
Her mother, Dawn Barlett, was told not to expect anything for months. One week after the first transplant, her daughter was responding to the glow of a penlight.
?Three weeks ago on Sunday (Aug. 12), she asked me to get the penlight,? Barlett said. ?She wanted to show me where the light was. She kept grabbing at it. She could see the high contrast.?
Then it occurred to Barlett that Rylea might be able to distinguish the features of a person?s face.
?I told her I wanted to show her something,? Barlett said. ?I held my breath and put my face in front of her face. I pulled away and asked her what she saw.
?She said: ?I saw my Mommy. Mommy, you are beautiful.??
?Uncharted territory?
For Barlett, the years of continually searching for ways to bring sight to her daughter?s hazel eyes, the raising of thousands of dollars through donations, the trip to the other side of the globe and the unknowns associated with an experimental treatment ? at that moment ? had all been worth it.
?I started bawling,? Barlett said. ?She could identify everyone. She had never seen her brother, her sister or me. She had never been able to see ? other than to feel ? a person?s face. She could now put a face with a person.
?What we are seeing now, they did not expect for us to have. We?re building nerves.?
Rylea could be the first patient anywhere with optic-nerve hypoplasia to benefit from stem-cell transplants from umbilical cords.
Larry Brothers, her optometrist in Joplin, said: ?Her optic nerves did not work. They would not send light back to the brain. People with optic-nerve hypoplasia never develop vision. This is the first case ever ? since the Bible ? where someone?s sight has been restored.
?This is totally uncharted territory. We don?t know what to expect. We don?t know what the end result will be and whether she will have some functional vision. But two months ago she had nothing, and now she can see light. That?s an incredible journey for one small person. It?s a miracle.?

By Wally Kennedy of the Joplin Globe
Read the entire artile at:
http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_245195943.html?start:int=15

[K Dawn]

To find out more about Rylea you can go to www.stemcellschina.com or www.beikebiotech.com there is also a yahoo group called ONH-TreatmentTime that has her mom on it.

[K Dawn]

In our view: Hope where none existed

? Need evidence that stem-cell research can produce miraculous results?
Six-year-old Rylea was born blind, with no hope of ever seeing. But her mother refused to give up, taking her to various specialists in the United States before finally trying stem-cell transplants from umbilical cords at a hospital in Hangzhou, China.
After three spinal stem-cell transplants and two IV transplants, Rylea reacts to light, has seen the faces of her mother, brother and sister, and was able to detect a big ?E? on the chart across the room in the office of Dr. Larry Brothers, her Joplin optometrist.
Her vision is only 2/400. But that may be only the beginning. Rylea is supposed to return to Hangzhou for further stem-cell transplants in March. Although she may never see perfectly, as her mother, Dawn said: ?You continue to build on what you have gained.?
Rylea?s experience offers hope to others who have been blind from birth or perhaps even were blinded in an accident or by a disease.
The use of stem cells from umbilical cords has generated new optical nerve cells that allow Rylea to see.
A man in Sikeston had stem-cell transplants in the Chinese hospital with the hope of repairing a spinal-cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He still can?t walk, but he is able to move his toes.
No one can guarantee that stem-cell transplants, including the somatic cell nuclear transplants approved for research in Missouri by voters last year, will come up with cures or even ameliorate the ravages of debilitating disease or injury. But the research offers hope where little or none exists.
Opponents of stem-cell research argue that the somatic cell nuclear transfer procedure amounts to cloning, despite the language in the amendment written into Missouri?s Constitution last year prohibiting human procreation by cloning, and want to put a stop to it through a grass-roots initiative petition campaign.
The research in Missouri already is being hampered by an unstable climate being created by those who are continuing the efforts to overturn or thwart the purpose of the constitutional amendment. Plans for expanding this vital research reportedly have slowed. That is a shame. We don?t fault those who follow their consciences, but we think that they are caught in between rapid advances in medical science that have outpaced medical ethics and public understanding.
Rylea is dramatic proof that research into the use of stem cells from the umbilical cord can work. That same hope exists for sufferers of other life-threatening, quality-of-life-dampening injuries and diseases.

[K Dawn]

Stem-cell transplants provide hope
Sept. 3, 2007, at the Brothers optometrist office in Joplin, Mo. Rylea has been seeing Dr. Larry Brothers about her new eyesight. Rylea was blind and her mother took her in July, 2007 to China for a stem cell medical injection. Her eyesight has been developing and she has grown an inch and a half in the past couple months, despite previously having stunted growth. Rylea was born blind six years ago. Her optic nerves did not develop. She was diagnosed when she was a few months old. Doctor after doctor gave her no hope of ever seeing. On July 4, the girl received the first of five stem-cell transplants. The stem cells were from umbilical cords. The transplants were done in a remote hospital in China. Her mother, Dawn, was told not to expect anything for months. One week after the first transplant, her daughter was responding to the glow of a penlight. ?Three weeks ago on Sunday, she asked me to get the penlight,? Dawn said. ?She wanted to show me where the light was. She kept grabbing at it. She could see the high contrast.? Then it occurred to Dawn that Rylea might be able to distinguish the features of a person?s face. ?I told her I wanted to show her something,? Dawn said. ?I held my breath and put my face in front of her face. I pulled away and asked her what she saw. ?She said: ?I saw my Mommy. Mommy, you are beautiful.?? ?Uncharted territory? For Dawn, the years of continually searching for ways to bring sight to her daughter?s hazel eyes, the raising of thousands of dollars through donations, the trip to the other side of the globe and the unknowns associated with an experimental treatment ? at that moment ? had all been worth it. ?I started bawling,? Dawn said. ?She could identify everyone. She had never seen her brother, her sister or me. She had never been able to see ? other than to feel ? a person?s face. She could now put a face with a person. ?What we are seeing now, they did not expect for us to have. We?re building nerves.? Rylea could be the first patient anywhere with optic-nerve hypoplasia to benefit from stem-cell transplants from umbilical cords.
Larry Brothers, her optometrist in Joplin, said: ?Her optic nerves did not work. They would not send light back to the brain. People with optic-nerve hypoplasia never develop vision. This is the first case ever ? since the Bible ? where someone?s sight has been restored. ?This is totally uncharted territory," Brothers said. "We don?t know what to expect. We don?t know what the end result will be and whether she will have some functional vision. But two months ago she had nothing, and now she can see light. That?s an incredible journey for one small person. It?s a miracle.? The diagnosis After Rylea was born, she had a few medical issues, including a blood-sugar problem, but it did not appear to be serious. ?We did not know anything was wrong until she was 4 months old,? Dawn said. ?It was in January of 2002. A doctor noticed she wasn?t tracking with her eyes. He told us to make an appointment with a pediatric opthamologist. ?We thought she had a lazy eye. We expected the problem to be minimal. The doctor did an exam. A few minutes later, we are told she is blind and there is nothing we can do to fix it.? Stunned by the news, Rylea's mother sought second, third and fourth opinions. ?It was the same diagnosis everywhere we went,? she said. ?That?s when we took on this whole new world. We were still hopeful, though this was our worst experience with anything bad. We had a perfect baby girl. She was our princess, and something was wrong that no one could fix.? They made trips to Children?s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and other places in search of hope. ?There were a lot of learning experiences,? Dawn said. ?We never gave up. Her being blind was never OK.? Eventually, Rylea had seen all the eye specialists her family could find. Brothers continued to see Rylea to check on the health of her eyes, but there was nothing he could do for her. Brothers and the girl?s pediatrician, Dr. Fred Wheeler of Joplin, were two of the only people to hold out hope for Rylea ?when no one else did,? Dawn said. ?I will never forget what Dr. Wheeler said to me when I talked to him about the stem-cell transplants. He said, ?If there is an answer, this is it.??
After encountering one wall after another, Dawn became frustrated but she continued her search on the Internet for promising treatments outside the United States.
?I looked for help in India, Thailand and throughout the world ? places where they don?t have the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) to hold back research,? she said. ?I found this place in China that does umbilical stem-cell transplants.? ?I wanted to know everything?
She sent a brief description of her daughter?s condition to the research program in China. ?I knew there was no cure, but at least they were doing research,? Dawn said. ?I felt there was the possibility of potential improvement for her. I got a response back from a lady in the United States. She was their contact in this country. ?In her letter, she said they had never treated anyone for this condition, but felt there was a significant chance for improvement. For a week to two weeks, I prayed about it. I am not one for false hope. I did not want anything like that.? She put together three pages of questions for her contact. ?I went down the list of possible side effects,? she said. ?Stem cells can cause tumors. I was concerned about that. But, umbilical-cord stem cells have no antigen markers like embryonic stem cells. Umbilical-cord stem cells, because of that, can help develop brain and nerve cells ? gray matter ? but not other things. I thought, ?Maybe they can develop optic-nerve cells.?
?I wanted to know how they did it. Did it involve surgery? I was told she would have intravenous injections and spinal infusions. After weighing the pros and cons, I thought we should try. The only possible side effect was spinal headaches after the procedures. Of course, there was always a possibility of infection.? Dawn found a telephone number for a man in Sikeston who had a spinal-cord injury and had gone to the same Chinese program for stem-cell treatments. ?I wanted to know everything about it, including where it was done and the environment there,? she said. ?Was the country itself safe? I have never left the United States. This man told me he could not walk, that he was paralyzed from the waist down. When he left there, he had sweating in his legs and could move his toes for the first time. He still wasn?t able to walk, but some small things had improved. That was the confirmation I needed.? On Jan. 1, Dawn created a Web site telling her daughter?s story. Fund raising for the trip to China began. Donation cans were set up in convenience stores. A benefit golf tournament was held. A family member in Chicago organized a union benefit. One man donated 120,000 airline miles for the round-trip tickets. The journey They flew from Chicago to Shanghai. It was a 15-hour flight. ?We went to Hangzhou, which is a three- to four-hour drive from Shanghai,? Dawn said. ?I kept thinking, ?What are we doing?? Every billboard was in Chinese. People were working in rice fields. What are we doing here? There was the culture shock part of it, but I was not scared. It seemed that every door we encountered opened.? They stayed in a hotel four blocks from the hospital. ?It was a modern building, but the hospital was very different from what we are used to,? she said. ?There was no HIPAA (medical privacy act). Lots of people were in your business. They called Rylea ?Princess? because to them, she looked like a Barbie doll. She got hugs and kisses because she stood out with her long, blondish-brown hair. I never felt like these people were put out. They were very willing to help.? They arrived on July 1.
?Her first stem-cell transplant was done by IV on July 4,? Dawn said. ?It was symbolic for us because it was the beginning of her independence. ?They said it would be three to six months before we would see any changes," she said. "It takes that much time for stem cells to mature and become connectors. A week later, on July 11, she started responding to light. Before, when you put a penlight to her eyes, her pupils would not contract when light was shined in them. ?When the doctor shined the light in her eyes, she shut her eyes and turned away. The doctor looked at me. We looked at each other. Everyone was completely silent. In broken English, the doctor says, ?Congratulations.? I started bawling.? Rylea had three spinal transplants and another IV transplant before they left the hospital. Each transplant involved 10 million cells. The trip and treatments were financed by nearly $40,000 in donations. After they returned to the United States on July 30, they met with Brothers so he could assess the girl?s progress. ?We were hoping she would give us some reaction to light,? Dawn said. ?She not only saw the light, she saw a chart across the room with a big ?E? on it. He determined that she has 2/400 vision. ?I will never forget Dr. Brothers saying: ?We have never had numbers. Do you realize we have never had numbers?? He was so excited.? The plan now is to go back to China in March for another round of stem-cell transplants. ?She will not get 100 percent vision from this, but you continue to build on what you have gained,? Dawn said. The trip has opened a whole new dimension for their mother. ?The parents of children with optic-nerve hypoplasia have seen her Web site and the progress she has made, and we?re getting thousands and thousands of e-mails, comments and phone calls,? Dawn said. ?You want to help every one of them. You want to offer families hope because we know what it is like to not have any hope.?

[K Dawn]

Family hopes to see cure in China

* A local family is planning a trip to China in August for their 16-month-old son, Cameron, who was diagnosed with optic nerve Hypoplasia. Cameron has been selected to receive umbilical cord stem cell treatments, in the hopes that the experimental surgery will give Cameron his sight back. The treatment includes four stem cell transfusions of 10 to 15 million stem cells each.

CHARLOTTE HARBOR -- As smiling 16-month-old Cameron Petersen bounced in his father's lap on Thursday afternoon, he reached for the sounds of his mother's voice. The bouncing blond tot, who is legally blind due to optic nerve Hypoplasia, reached again as his mother, Melissa VanGorp, began to explain the treatment Cameron will receive in China this August.

Cameron is one of five participants for a case study in China, where he will undergo umbilical cord stem cell treatments. Along with his parents, VanGorp and Zachery Petersen, Cameron will leave Aug. 6 for the groundbreaking medical procedure -- the first stem cell replacement surgery for patients with ONH.

"The doctors said there was nothing we could do about it. There wasn't a treatment yet," VanGorp, 24, said. The pregnant mother, due Sept. 13, now has hope for her son.

After researching online, VanGorp's father came across success stories from Stem Cells China, where they have successfully infused stem cells into patients suffering from numerous other diseases and disabilities. Stem Cells China has established a 98 percent improvement rate with patients undergoing treatment for other disabilities, according to the organization's Web site.

"They don't want to promise too much, but the results speak for themselves," said Donna VanGorp, Cameron's grandmother.

"We are hoping it will make a significant amount of difference -- it hasn't been done (on ONH patients)," added Petersen, 26.

This procedure, which is not available in America, will take the harvested umbilical cord stem cells and, in a very technical process, transplant them into Cameron. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can replenish their numbers for long periods through cell division. After receiving certain chemical signals, the cells also can differentiate or transform into specialized cells with specific functions, according to Stem Cells China.

The study is the first of its kind for ONH patients. The treatment includes four stem cell transfusions of 10 to 15 million stem cells each, VanGorp said. With each stem cell transplant, they also give the patient a transfusion of "neural growth factors" to encourage the stem cells to find their targets and transform into new neurons.

"He's a sweet little baby who will never see," said Carol Petersen, Cameron's grandmother. "This is his chance. It could be his miracle."

Cameron will receive the treatments in Hang Zhou, China, from Aug. 8 through Aug. 26.

"It's real scary cause he is one of the first ones (to have the experimental procedure)," VanGorp said. "We hope it will help his health a lot too."

ONH is a condition, present at birth, in which there is underdevelopment of the optic nerve, according to Blind Babies Foundation.

The underdevelopment of the optic nerve has also interfered with other bodily functions, causing problems with his blood sugar, VanGorp said. On Thursday, Cameron had another appointment with his doctor due to a spiked fever.

"We are still a little worried, it's happening so quickly," VanGorp said. "And, it's a lot of money."

The treatment alone costs $15,000. An additional $10,000 to $20,000 is needed for a Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment chamber once Cameron returns. The family is estimating and hoping to raise $100,000 for the total expenses.

On June 9, they will hold a bake sale and car wash at the Quality Homes of Port Charlotte parking lot. A bank account has also been set up for Cameron at Bank of America.

For more information or to donate, call 941-276-8235 or mail to 2466 Newbury St., Port Charlotte, FL 33982.

"It's exciting, it's nervous, it's all of the above," VanGorp said.

By TEDDI THOSATH

Sun Intern



Umbilical Stem Cells Save Sight
http://wwwfox4florida.com/Global/story.asp?s=6833686

[K Dawn]

No more darkness

Stem-cell treatments already producing changes in Port Charlotte toddler, who is legally blind

Cameron Petersen can't sit still.

The 19-month-old Port Charlotte toddler crawls toward objects with a new sense of curiosity. His legal blindness seems to be fading with each day in China, as he explores the foreign surroundings of the room.

"My son says he's like a little monkey," said Cameron's grandmother, Carol Petersen, who has been communicating with the family by phone.

Earlier this month, Cameron traveled to China with his parents, Melissa VanGorp and Zachery Petersen, as part of a case study to treat his blindness with stem cells.

Cameron was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children. The condition causes underdevelopment of the optic nerve and can lead to permanent blindness.

Doctors told Cameron's parents nothing could be done.

But the family never gave up hope.

They found Stem Cells China, a research facility which has successfully infused stem cells into patients suffering from numerous disabilities and diseases.

Family members raised about $20,000 this summer to help fund the trip to China and for the treatment.

The procedure, which isn't available in America, transplanted harvested umbilical cord stem cells into Cameron.

Stem cells can transform into specialized cells with specific functions, such as repair of Cameron's optic nerves.

Treatment consisted of four total stem-cell infusions to Cameron's arm and the lumbar region of his spine. It didn't take long to notice a change.

Carol Petersen said Cameron's energy level increased following his first treatment on Aug. 10. He also seemed healthier.

Petersen said Cameron used to have a high temperature every other day.

By the third treatment, Cameron was standing on his own and crawling toward objects -- something he couldn't do before. In the past, Cameron would feel objects such as his toys by putting them against his lips and face.

"He's exploring everything," Petersen said. "I am just so overjoyed."

Cameron is one of five children to undergo stem-cell treatment for optic nerve hypoplasia. Among those treated by Stem Cells China were a child from Missouri this summer, along with a girl from Romania. Both have shown incredible progress with vision.

Cameron will return early Wednesday morning with his parents.

Peterson said she hopes to raise awareness about stem-cell research, since it remains a controversial subject in the United States.

"If it's in our power to do this to help people, why can't we?" she said.

You can e-mail Jason Witz at jwitz@sun-herald.com.

By JASON WITZ

Staff Writer

[K Dawn]

Poster Boy for Braille Institute gains eyesight after SC transplant

Date: Tue Aug 28, 2007

Braille Institute VP: Cameron may be a door opener for the future



The news of an 18-month-old boy slowly regaining his eyesight has rippled across Southwest Florida.

"That makes four children that we know of that have received this treatment who can see now," stated Chuck Johnson, vice president of The Braille Institute of Florida. The institute works in Southwest Florida to increase Braille literacy and encourage children with blindness and other learning disabilities to express their talents. "If Cameron is coming through that same exchange, he may be a door opener for the future."

The legally blind Port Charlotte toddler was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, or a lack of development of the optic nerve, and traveled to China for stem-cell treatment the beginning of August.

"Hypoplasia comes from damage to the optic nerve," Johnson said. "It's not strong enough to carry the light. The only thing that can help your sight is to undergo this type of treatment. His optic nerve was asleep; now it's getting a new shock. This new shock is the stem cells that are from the umbilical cord."

According to Eric Stockley, of the Charlotte County Health Department, Cameron received a series of five injections of umbilical cord stem cells directly through his spine into the fluid that surrounds the brain. These are cells harvested from umbilical cord blood and not the embryonic cells that are at the center of controversy right now.

Each injection delivers more than 10 million stem cells in combination with additional neuron growth factor cells. These cells guide the stem cells to the damaged nerve cells, which in Cameron's case is the optic nerve. Once the stem cells have located the damaged nerve they begin to rejuvenate and replace and repair the damage.

After he returns to the United States, Cameron will continue to take treatments for another year or more. Also, he will have to undergo three months of intensive therapy to stimulate his sight. Also, for

12 months, Cameron must spend some time every day, five days a week, in a hyperbaric oxygen decompression unit. This is similar to what divers with the bends must undergo, but for Cameron, this therapy will encourage armature stem-cell growth.

What will this small success mean for future research?

"He (Cameron) is coming from scratch," Johnson said. "If he's getting stronger, it's because of these treatments. It's exciting news for us. We have a winning key on our hands, and the government is going to hear about it."



By DAWN KREBS

http://www.sun-herald.com/Newsstory.cfm?

pubdate=082807&story=tp2ch7.htm&folder=NewsArchive2

[K Dawn]

Stem-cell treatments already producing changes in Port Charlotte toddler, who is legally blind

Cameron Petersen can't sit still.

The 19-month-old Port Charlotte toddler crawls toward objects with a new sense of curiosity. His legal blindness seems to be fading with each day in China, as he explores the foreign surroundings of the room.

"My son says he's like a little monkey," said Cameron's grandmother, Carol Petersen, who has been communicating with the family by phone.

Earlier this month, Cameron traveled to China with his parents, Melissa VanGorp and Zachery Petersen, as part of a case study to treat his blindness with stem cells.

Cameron was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children. The condition causes underdevelopment of the optic nerve and can lead to permanent blindness.

Doctors told Cameron's parents nothing could be done.

But the family never gave up hope.

They found Stem Cells China, a research facility which has successfully infused stem cells into patients suffering from numerous disabilities and diseases.

Family members raised about $20,000 this summer to help fund the trip to China and for the treatment.

The procedure, which isn't available in America, transplanted harvested umbilical cord stem cells into Cameron.

Stem cells can transform into specialized cells with specific functions, such as repair of Cameron's optic nerves.

Treatment consisted of four total stem-cell infusions to Cameron's arm and the lumbar region of his spine. It didn't take long to notice a change.

Carol Petersen said Cameron's energy level increased following his first treatment on Aug. 10. He also seemed healthier.

Petersen said Cameron used to have a high temperature every other day.

By the third treatment, Cameron was standing on his own and crawling toward objects -- something he couldn't do before. In the past, Cameron would feel objects such as his toys by putting them against his lips and face.

"He's exploring everything," Petersen said. "I am just so overjoyed."

Cameron is one of five children to undergo stem-cell treatment for optic nerve hypoplasia. Among those treated by Stem Cells China were a child from Missouri this summer, along with a girl from Romania. Both have shown incredible progress with vision.

Cameron will return early Wednesday morning with his parents.

Peterson said she hopes to raise awareness about stem-cell research, since it remains a controversial subject in the United States.

"If it's in our power to do this to help people, why can't we?" she said.



Cameron's homecoming shown on NBC news (link to site below).

http://www.nbc-2.com/videonews/

You need to use the box on the right and scroll down to ?Stem cell treatment improves toddler?s sight?. Click on that area and the clip will come up and play.

[K Dawn]

Stem cell treatments improve toddler's eyesight

Last updated on: 8/29/2007 7:03:07 PM by NBC2 News

LEE COUNTY: A month ago, 19-month old Cameron Peterson could barely see anything in front of him.

His eyesight has greatly improved thanks to a pioneering stem cell treatment the toddler received in China.

Cameron has a condition called optic nerve hypoplasia. It?s caused when the optical nerve doesn?t grow properly before birth.

He?s one of five children in the world to receive the umbilical stem cell treatment.

Since his treatment, Cameron has better control of his eyes.

"The tracking of the eyes is the main thing we can visibly see," said Melissa Peterson, Cameron?s mother.

His eyes no longer dart back and forth nonstop.

The reason it took a $15,000 trip to China to get these results isn?t clear to Melissa.

"Seems like the U.S. is the only place not doing it," said Melissa.

She says doctors in the U.S. told her there was no hope for Cameron?s eyesight. She says they were wrong.

"It took a needle and a couple of tubes and it was done. Thirty minutes - that's all," said Melissa.

The next step is for Cameron to lay down in a hyperbaric chamber for 90 minutes five days a week for three months.

The family is doing everything they can to educate people about umbilical stem cell treatment through their website.

Umbilical stem cell treatments are different from the controversial embryonic stem cell treatments.





09/25/07
Helping other children see

Grandmother of Cameron Petersen wants to get government-funded umbilical cord blood bank to serve community

Carol Petersen wants to help other children see.

But it's going to take a lot of legwork and signatures.

The Port Charlotte resident hopes to raise awareness about umbilical cord stem-cell research using her grandson's story of sight.

Cameron Petersen, a 20-month toddler who is legally blind, has made significant progress since undergoing a stem-cell infusion in China last month.

Now, the goal is to secure government funding to open a public umbilical cord blood bank in Charlotte County, providing other children with hope. The petition has already received hundreds of signatures.

"I'm trying to help all the other Cameron Petersens," his grandmother said.

Cameron suffers from optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children. The condition causes underdevelopment of the optic nerve and can lead to permanent blindness.

Doctors told Cameron's parents nothing could be done.

The family began to research other options and found Stem Cells China, a research facility which has successfully infused stem cells into patients with numerous disabilities and diseases.

Cameron traveled to China with his parents, Melissa VanGorp and Zachery Petersen, last month as part of a case study to treat his blindness with stem cells. These cells can develop into specialized cells and even repair tissue.

The procedure, which isn't available in the United States, transplanted harvested umbilical cord stem cells into Cameron. It consisted of four stem-cell infusions to Cameron's arm and the lumbar region of his spine.

By the third treatment, Cameron was standing on his own and crawling toward objects -- something he couldn't do before. Now, doctors say he can see about 1 1/2 feet, or to his knees.

Since the treatment, Petersen said many families have contacted her about getting their children help.

Petersen said the United States has several cord blood bank facilities, but most are privately operated and expensive.

"People shouldn't have to go to China for treatment," she said.

The public, medical community and state and local government agencies are invited to learn about umbilical stem-cell research Nov. 3 at Gilchrist Park.

The event will feature the success stories of Cameron and a girl from Missouri who can now see. Kirshner Ross-Vaden, one of the leading experts on umbilical stem-cell treatments, will discuss their stories.

Petersen said she hopes to raise awareness about the petition to start a government-funded cord blood bank.

"If enough people want it in Charlotte County, we will make it happen," she said. "I'm not going to stop until I get it."

For more information on Cameron's story or to sign a petition, visit www.cameronsmiracleofsight.com.

[K Dawn]

Blind Baby Will Get Stem Cell Injections

Posted: 1:48 PM Jul 6, 2007
Last Updated: 7:16 PM Jul 6, 2007

Reporter: Laura Rogers

Bowling Green baby will go to China for ground-breaking stem cell research to correct his vision.

Six-month-old Jackson Blackford bounces and squeals like any other happy, healthy baby, but what you don't realize is that he can't see.

He has an under-developed optic-nerve, a condition known as optic-nerve Hypoplasia.


"When he looks at something he doesn't pick up the image and send it to his brain so therefore it leaves him legally blind," explained his mother, Rachael Stayer.

Jack's parents first realized something was wrong when he was three-months-old.

"We noticed that he wouldn't pay attention to his toys and his eyes would kind of dance around," Stayer said.

His mother learned of the website www.stemcellschina.com. She immediately emailed the Chinese hospital that was looking for applicants in a special case study where doctors use stem cells from umbilical cords of healthy live-birth babies.

"We got the ball rolling automatically. They were really anxious because he's so young. It's going to make a big difference than if he were an older child," Stayer said.

Jack was one of five children in the world selected for the revolutionary treatment. He will receive umbilical cord stem cells that will hopefully repair his optic-nerve and restore his eyesight.

"His father and I don't ever want to be in the position where we have to tell him we didn't do everything we possibly could for him," Stayer said.




Click below for a recent vedio clip and story on baby Jackson:

Auction Helps Family With Trip and Treatment Costs
WBKO - Bowling Green,KY,USA
Ten-month-old Jackson Blackford was born with optic nerve hypoplasia. Jackson is one of five children worldwide selected for a research study using ...
See all stories on this topic

[rosech44]

I am so happy to see this type of posting---I wish our Government would wake up, and get on this soon to be fast moving train----

Thanks for posting KDon & Tony----How are you, Tony????

[scyonix]

i've got bike Accident on dec'07 , then suddenly i lost vision on my right eye, my physician told that this is because of optic neuropathy, any body told that there is any chance to restore my vision back using stem cell or other treatment, the doctor's report will be followed,


" H/o RTA 10 days back following which he developed loss of vision in right eye. patient admitted for endoscopic optic nerve decompression. guarded visual prognosis explained in view of the delayed presentation and initial poor visual acuity of no perceptionof light.

Ear - TM intact both sides
Nose - DSL Present
Throat - NAD
Diagnosis: Traumatic Optic neuropathy - Right Eye
Surgery: Endoscopic Rt Optic Nerve Decompression
Surgery Notes
Under General anaesthesia, using 0 degree nasal endoscope, Right Side MMA done. Rt anterior & posterior ethmoidectomy and sphenoidotomy done. Lateral wall of sphenoid had a clot & optic canal injury seen. using diamond burr with adequate irrigation optic canal drilled from orbital apex to optic strut. optic nerve sheath was seen bulging through the canal. medial 180 degree decompression done. middle meatus packing done. patient recovered well from anaesthesia. injection methyl prednisolone 1gm given IV for three days."


pls any body give me a good suggestion.

[barbara]

If you would like, I could give you a list of clinics/doctors that you could ask. India has a lot of stem cell therapy going on, however, I do not have an answer to your question. I am happy to give you websites of clinics for you to contact and get a stem cell doctor's opinion. I am not a doctor for sure! Perhaps, another member may have some better knowledge than I do. I do know that there is a lot of stem cell pioneering being done with the eyes which is good news.

[scyonix]

hi barbara thanks for ur response, pls give me the address of the doctors, i'll contact them soon.

thanks &regards

Rajesh

[scyonix]

Wat will be the cost this cell therapy

[barbara]

Each doctor/company may have a different price. This is something you need to ask about when you contact companies about treatment. Sometimes, the prices are even negotiable, believe it or not, and some have financing available. Beware of expensive treatments and lavish promises. Price does not necessarily reflect success.

[scyonix]

i didn't asked in that meaning, in BEIKE hospital at china is offering at $19200, i've asked to Mr.brayon about this , i didn't get anything from him. thats y i asked u, pls tellme the average cost for that, i dont know clearly about that...

[Jeannine]

scyonix

We are not in the stem cell buisness. WE have no idea what these companies will charge you. You have to contact the companies that do the treatments to find out the costs. We are merely a forum where people can discuss stem cells, where current trreatments are available, new breakthroughs, clinical trials and share general knowledge about stem cells and those who have had stem cell treatment share their stories. We have companies who have become sponsors and their links are located at the top of our website. It's up to you to contact them and ask these questions.

[barbara]

I believe the price at MSC Health is $18500.00. I have no idea why they cannot tell you this, but as Jeannine said, we are not in the stem cell business and therefore prices may be negotiable or different for certain therapies. In my humble opinion, all the prices are too high no matter where you go, but there isn't much anyone can do about it if you wish to have treatment now.

[hope85]

Hello everyone,

I am mother of Emilia, who was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia just couple days ago. She is six month's old. I am so depressed and worring about my little girl. The doctor said there is nothing can be done for her and i just didn't want to believe him especially after i found this website chinastemcells I sent them email straigt away but still didn't get replay. I need help so much. I want to take her there but don't know how to get money for her. I don't know where to go ask if anybody could open fund to raise money for her i want to create a website about her so people could see my baby and hear her story maybe anybody could donate for her. I know it's so important to do it earlier the younger she is the better results we could get, but problem is money. I am so lost i want to give my girl sight so she could see the world( toys, mother's and dad's faces, flowers, sky, sun...) I am so emotional these days that i don't know how i am gonna cope it and how i am gonna find ways how to help my little doughter.
Please if anybody knows how i could start to help my baby please reply me i will be so thankfull and apriciated. Please if anybody could help my doughter Emilia please call me or send a message i will recall you on +447872904677 or email me ijocyte@yahoo.co.uk thank you

[barbara]

Hi Hope85,

China is one place that seems to be having success with optic nerve hypoplasia, however, you might wish to check with other clinics as well. I will be happy to send you a resource list with websites if you wish. Just let me know. It is a little disturbing to me that the clinic in China has not contacted you. This is always something that bothers me because if they do not follow up well prior to treatment, how will it be if you need something post treatment? I do not know if they have a program that helps with the cost of treatment or not, but it is worth asking any clinic you contact if they do. You have nothing to lose by asking.

We recently added a blog feature to our forum. You are welcome to set up your own blog on this site if you wish. If you need help with it, let us know. Click on the word Blogs in the blue header line on the Home Page. It is very simple to use.

[hope85]

Hello Barbara

thanks a lot for a message i am very thankful that you wrote to me. I would like to know all them websites of clinics where i could help my daughter. Thanks a lot to you.

[barbara]

Hope85 - I will send you a list of resources in a private message to you. If you do not hear back from Stem Cells China, please let me know and I will contact Jon who is a rep there. He is also a member of this forum I believe.

The resources I am sending you, may or may not, treat your daughter's condition. I would certainly check them all out and ask each of them the same type of questions so you are comparing apples to apples. There is a group of parents that have taken their children with eye problems to China and they may also be of help to you as far as fund raising ideas, but first ask the clinics that you contact if they have any type of funding available for you. I know some do consider hardship cases.