Posted 6 May, 2009 in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia | Stem Cell Research Helps Blind Girl See
Hayley Pelletier had been legally blind since birth due to her Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. However, thanks to the wonders of stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells, these days Hayley can now see and in the words of her mother “Basically, her whole quality of life was just bumped up 110 percent.”
No Medications, No Treatments, Nowhere To Go
Before the stem cell research that changed her life occurred, Hayley was learning how to read Braille and how to get around with a cane due to the
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children where the optic nerve fails to develop.
Until an amazing new stem cell treatment developed in China using cord blood stem cells, there was no drugs, no treatments that could improve Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.
Cord Blood Stem Cells- Only Treatment Available
Hayley and her mother Heather went to China for the stem cell treatment in November 2008. And the results have been amazing. Before, Hayley could barely only make out the difference between light and dark, but now-
- She can now draw pictures of people on paper
- She can identify colors easily
- She can watch television from 3 feet away.
From the
stem cell article:
“It’s been incredible,” Pelletier said. “Basically, her whole quality of life was just bumped up 110 percent. She’s so much happier.” Her self confidence has soared, too. Pelletier managed to say a few words at a Lions Club banquet, but she admits she was intimidated by the hundreds of people in the room. Hayley wasn’t. “I brought a different child home from China. She stood on a chair and told them all about her experiences there,” said Pelletier, astonished. “Then she thanked them for honoring her with their support.” Hayley Joins the Stem Cells for Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Club
Hayley now becomes the latest addition to our “club” of children who have been to China for stem cell therapy for their Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and the closely related Septo-Optic Dysplasia and then come back to the United States, UK and Canada with better vision and other benefits to their development.
Before that there was
Jakob Bielski from Canada
Just last week, we added
Dakota Clarke , her mom said “
It’s been worth every single penny to see the changes in her.” A few weeks ago we added
Macie Morse who can now see well enough to drive after her stem cell therapy.
And before that
Coby Fend’s mother said “
“We are talking about going back — we’d almost be crazy not to, because right now it’s the best thing going in the entire world.” And we also had
Connor Corkern -
He’s doing great. He is doing wonderful. It’s like we’ve got a totally new baby, Coye Corkern said We had
Cameron Petersen - Grandma Petersen said “There was nothing for Cameron before this treatment. Now, his world is limitless.”
Lydia Black-
From her father - “the treatment is already having a huge effect on her life, and he is glad that she was able to receive stem cell treatment in China. ” Lydia Olmstead and Rylea Barlett - “After her second treatment, we started to notice a change,”
Savannah Watring -
“She said hello to herself in an elevator (after seeing her reflection). It blew everyone away. We weren’t expecting that.”Xavier Carballo-
Xavier’s ophthalmologist, Dr. Jack Guggino of Tampa, said he did a baseline exam on the boy before the trip to China and after his return. He said before the treatment Xavier could only detect hand motion at 1 to 2 feet, and after the treatment he could count fingers at 3 to 4 feet.
“
As far as Xavier is concerned, there has been definite and measurable improvement, neurologically and ophthalmologically,” Guggino said.
If you or someone you know has a similar condition or perhaps another disease, please go to our Repair Stem Cell Institute website and we will provide
stem cell treatment information.
A Letter from the Father of the Adult Stem Cell Miracle BabyPosted 6 March, 2009 in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, Septo-Optic Dysplasia |
Miracle Baby Can See After Adult Stem Cells Implanted
Many of you have seen the news about the blind girl from the United Kingdom, Dakota Clarke who has been given the gift of sight from Adult Stem Cells (cord blood stem cells). I covered it in this stem cell article yesterday.
A Letter from Father of the Stem Cell Baby
However, I was very surprised yesterday when I was looking through my emails and I had received an email from Darren Clarke, the father of Dakota! Apparently, he stumbled upon my little obscure blog and saw my piece on his daughter and Adult Stem Cell research.
He gave me permission to post this very nice letter describing how Dakota is doing after being implanted with cord blood stem cells (stem cells taken from the umbilical cord blood of new born babies):
Hey there,
I’m Dakota Clarke’s father, and am just dropping you a quick word about the results we have seen so far with Dakota. Things have been better than expected and a lot sooner too. Dakota is identifying objects at a distance of 3 feet, but we think she can see further, although to what extent we can’t be sure yet. She is able to tell who people are from around 6-7 feet without any noise or prompting.
The (stem cell) treatment also cleared up a bowel problem she has suffered from for the last two years, which is fantastic for her as this has meant its one less medication she needs to get every day.
That’s the basics anyhow, but thought you may like to know after I read a piece in your blog concerning her treatment. Feel free to get in touch anytime at all.
Darren Clarke
More Adult Stem Cell Research Information
If you really want to see something special, go to Dakota Clarke’s website - Miracle Baby or if you or someone you know has Septo-optic Dysplasia or Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, and you want to ask Darren about Dakota’s experience with stem cell therapy using Adult Stem Cells, you can email Darren and Dakota directly at babydakota@googlemail.com
Thank you Darren! Please keep us updated on Dakota’s progress in the future!
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Adult Stem Cells, Miracle Baby's Father Writes a stem cell email | Adult Stem Cell Research.
From Blind to Driving A Car- Stem Cells Give Colorado Girl the Gift of SightPosted 18 February, 2009 in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia | No comments
Macie Morse, a 16 year old from Colorado, has made dramatic improvement in her eyesight after receiving Adult Stem Cells taken from cord blood to treat her Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. In yet another victory for stem cell research, Macie now has her driving learner’s permit after being almost totally blind before the stem cell therapy.
Macie before stem cells:
* 20/4000 vision in one eye and in the other eye she only had light perception- she could only make out light
* Could only watch TV with her nose pressed against the glass
Macie after stem cells:
* 20/80 vision in one eye and the other is 20/400+
* Driving her family’s van and enjoying her new driving permit
Now after the Adult Stem Cell research has helped her, Macie is realizing her dreams:
“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to lay on the couch and watch TV,” she said. “It looked so comfortable.”
“I always wondered what it would be like to see my friends,” she said.
Macie was treated with Adult Stem Cells taken from umbilical cord blood (not Embryonic stem cells) by Beike Biotech in China. Macie joins our ” Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Club” with others who have made similar improvements from this stem cell research. Others such as Cody Fend, Cameron Petersen, Lydia Black, Lydia Olmsted and Rylea Barlett, Savannah Watring, Xavier Carballo, and Connor Corkern all have made great strides since receiving cord blood stem cells for their Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and Septo-Optic Dysplasia in China.
For more information about this stem cell treatment, you can contact Beike Biotech’s Medical Director Dr. Kara Zhang directly at dr.zhang@beikebiotech.com
Click here to see the full article
via
Adult Stem Cell Research.
Stem cell hope for blind toddler
VIDEO:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7859396.stmJoshua will have five weeks' treatment in China with umbilical cord stem cells
The family of a toddler who was born blind are hoping a course of cutting-edge stem cell therapy in China could let some light into his life.
Sixteen-month-old Joshua Clark, from Caernarfon, Gwynedd, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia and his parents were told no treatment was available.
Joanna and Anthony Clark found the Chinese therapy after doing research via the internet.
An auction to help fund the £40,000 op was held on Thursday and raised £8,160.
Joshua's grandfather Dr Kevin Doughty said his wife, Gill, a nurse who worked on an eye ward, first noticed when Joshua was three months old that his eyes did not react in the way she expected.
"It was a slow job to get the medics involved. It took a long time to get the tests that showed what he had," Dr Doughty told the BBC Wales News website.
When Joshua was six months, he was finally given a diagnosis.
His father Anthony said: "They explained the situation and said there was nothing they could do for us.
 |
OPTIC NERVE HYPOPLASIA
ONH is a congenital condition caused by underdevelopment of the optic nerve It can cause anything from mild light sensitivity to total blindness Can be part of a disorder known as septo-optic dysplasia |
"We weren't very happy with that, and about a week later we started looking it up on the internet. We were talking to people in America particularly, people who had had the treatment but also medics who knew about it."
They launched a fundraising campaign to enable Joshua to undergo treatment at Hangzhou, near Shanghai, and have so far raised £24,500 towards the £40,000 needed. The family will fly to China at the end of April and will spend five weeks accompanied by various relatives at different times while Joshua undergoes treatment with umbilical cord stem cells. When he returns he will need daily treatment for a year in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber which has been installed at the family's home in order to maximise the effect of the therapy.
The family is not hoping for miracles. They know Joshua is unlikely to have normal vision, but they hope he will be able to detect light, differentiate between night and day and see colours and objects.
Mr Clark said: "We're hoping that he can see something, light and shapes and some distance in front of him.
"We're just hoping that we may get something from it. It may not work, and it's hard to take so you don't want to go out with too many expectations."
'Stronger relationship'He believes the family has been drawn more closely together as a result of their experiences.
"I think it's made myself and Joanna's relationship stronger," he said.
The auction, organised by neighbours of the Clarks, is being held at the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon on Thursday night.
No-one from the UK is believed to have undergone stem cell therapy for ONH in China but two girls from Northern Ireland are due to go prior to Joshua.
Glamour model Jordan's son Harvey was born with the condition.
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BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | Mid Wales | Stem cell hope for blind toddler.