Mum Of Autistic Boy “In Shock” Over German Stem-Cell Centre Closure

Executive Editor — Tue, 10 May 2011 11:45:32 +0000

A mother who raised more than €30,000 ($43,000) for experimental treatment for her autistic son is “in shock” after the controversial centre where he received his treatment was closed down.

Deirdre O’Dwyer’s eight-year-old son Evan suffers from a rare neurological disorder which means the left side of his brain has failed to develop properly. Evan, from the Commons Road, Cork, also developed severe epilepsy and autism as a result of the disorder. His mother took him to Germany last week to undergo stem-cell treatment at the XCell Centre in Dusseldorf.

However, the centre, which offers unlicensed treatments, has closed after being ordered to cease operating by German authorities.

“I am very frightened now,” said Mrs O’Dwyer, who felt the centre gave her son a “chance” by offering treatment he could not get elsewhere.

Read the full story at the Irish Independent.

NZ Family Spending Nearly $200K On Questionable Mexican Stem Cell Treatments

Paul — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:52:10 +0000

A New Zealand family with two children under the age of five suffering from an array of disabling maladies plans to travel to Mexico again to undergo a second round of expensive experimental umbilical cord stem cell treatments. A first round in February cost the family $100,000 — the grandparents’ entire retirement savings. The follow-up treatments will cost $80,000. One of the children, aged 4, suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and global development delay. The other child, a two-year-old, suffers from septo-optic dysplasia. “The risk in not doing it is waking up at 65 and wondering if you had tried, would it have made a difference,” a grandparent said.

By Rebecca Todd, “Family on $80,000 stem cell mission”, September 22, 2009, © The Press, Fairfax New Zealand Limited

The Stem Cell Trekker » Epilepsy

Mum Of Autistic Boy “In Shock” Over German Stem-Cell Centre Closure

NZ Family Spending Nearly $200K On Questionable Mexican Stem Cell Treatments