Tags

, , ,

Paralyzed Mich. Teen Heads To Portugal For Experimental Stem Cell Transplant

by paulgochs on September 5th, 2009

Sixteen-year-old Michael Johnson of Vienna Township, Mich., paralyzed from the chest down since he was 12 from a motorcycle racing accident, will be flying to Portugal soon to undergo an experimental stem cell transplant he hopes will repair his spinal cord and enable him to walk again. His parents will be paying $50,000 for the treatment, on top of travel costs and a year of post-operative physical therapy. A Portuguese neuropathologist will transplant stem cells harvested from Michael’s nose into the spinal cord break to regenerate lost neural connections. “All of it would change my life, just to get anything back,” Michael said.

By Elizabeth Shaw, “Paralyzed teen racer traveling to Portugal for stem cell therapy”, September 4, 2009, © The Flint Journal

From Portugal, Spinal Cord Injury

1 Comment →
  1. Bob Klobber permalink

    I wish the young man all the best. But scientific studies have shown that it’s very difficult to penetrate repair the spinal cord after scar tissue has formed at the break. That’s why Geron’s upcoming clinical trial will only treat recently-injured patients, within 7-14 days. I will pray for his improvement. He has much work ahead of him, especially in physical therapy, and with other alternative treatments.