March 2009
Main source material
www.returninghope.com
It's easy to get caught up in the scientific side of stem cell research, thinking about animal studies, percentages and sample sizes. The other side is the ethical debate about the use of embryonic stem cells in research - but neither honors the real reason that the work is being done - the people. We look at several personal case studies from Thailand stem cell therapy.
Stem cell research is advancing all the time, and adult stem cell cures are becoming more and more common, effectively circumventing the debate which raged over the use of stem cells in the early years. However, it is easy to get caught up only in the research which is publicized, and forget that stem cells have a human face. It is the face of a child who has never understood her parents before and couldn't walk more than a few steps, an adult woman who has progressively lost control of her body, and a small boy who can now reconnect with his parents, thanks to stem cell therapy in Thailand. We look at some of the success stories.
It is estimated that stroke could soon be the most common cause of death worldwide, and it is already a leading cause of disability. Stroke is not only a middle-aged disease - sometimes this debilitating occurrence happens to the more vulnerable members of our society also. Nora suffered from a stroke at birth, as she was premature. She could not speak, she was not toilet trained, she could not chew food and her general development was delayed. "She could only walk on small flat surfaces ... if she can walk on uneven surfaces [that will be an improvement]", said Nora's father. Her family heard about stem cell therapy for stroke, and decided to try it. After stem cell therapy in Thailand, where before she could concentrate on a favorite movie for only 5 or 10 minutes "after the treatment, she could concentrate on the movie for thirty minutes or more - that is a significant improvement". "We recognize that she's more thoughtful ... if we tell her something to do, she obeys", Nora's father continued.
There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis, a condition where the immune system attacks the central nervous system. It affects between 2 and 150 per 100,000 people in a year, and severely impacts quality of life, however adult stem cell treatment is making life easier for many MS patients. Susan Glenn underwent Thailand stem cell therapy for MS, and talks about her experience.
"I have progressed so much that I have very poor balance, I have double vision, I cannot write or sign my name, and I had bladder problems ... and bowel problems". After her stem cell therapy in Thailand, Susan saw improvements in her condition within a very short space of time - in less than a week she had significant improvement in her ability to walk, her vision and bowel/bladder control. "The staffs were excellent... they worked with me and helped me... I couldn't complain about the service, it was so good". Mrs. Glenn can now walk short stretches without the use of a stick, and without as much dependence on surfaces for leaning.
Autism can be a heartbreaking disease for parents, and disorders in the spectrum now affect around 1 in 166 children in some regions. Thailand stem cell therapy for autism, while not as popular as adult stem cell cures for stroke, Parkinson's or arthritis, can make significant changes to patient's lives. Mitchell was treated with adult stem cells for autism, after four bouts of bronchialitis before the age of 1 contributed to its development in him. "He's got more aware of himself, more aware of his needs ... and we haven't used any nappies for the whole day", said Mitchell's mother after the treatment. "His concentration and awareness is much better than before", added his father.
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