The Stem Cell Trekker

Kansas Paraplegic Traveling To Germany For Stem Cell Treatments

paulgochs — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:55:36 +0000

A Pittsburg, Kansas, man paralyzed from the waist down after a 2008 car crash, is trying to raise $16,000 to travel to Germany for stem cell treatments. Friends and family are helping 26-year-old wheelchair-bound Justin Pryor with a benefit dinner. Justin and his father will travel to Köln, Germany’s XCell clinic for the scientifically unproven procedure, which involves extraction of a patient’s own bone marrow stem cells and re-injection into the spinal fluid. Although the XCell center offers anecdotal evidence of some physical improvement with the procedures – e.g., regaining “sensation” in the limbs – it does not claim that anyone treated with stem cells at its clinic has ever regained the ability to walk.

Florida Girl With SMA Lifts Her Foot After $36,000 Chinese Stem Cell Treatment

amyryan — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:29:47 +0000

An eight-year-old Titusville, Fla., girl suffering from spinal muscular atrophy returned from Qingdao, China, on October 3 after spending 34 days receiving stem cell injections that cost her family and friends $36,000. Spinal muscular atrophy is a neuromuscular disease characterized by degeneration of motor neurons, resulting in progressive wasting away and weakness. Patients often require comprehensive medical care. Sierra Journey Factor’s family said they detected improved neck control and other improvements after the treatment. “I saw her pick her left foot off the bed. It was really amazing,” the girl’s grandmother said. The family plans to take the girl back to China in two years for more stem cell treatment.

By Amanda Stratford, “Titusville girl receives help in China”, October 4, 2009, © Florida Today

Wash. State Man Needs $100K For German Stem Cell Treatment

paulgochs — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:02:53 +0000

A 23-year-old Bellingham, Wash., man suffering from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart failure, hopes to raise $100,000 to travel to the Xcell Center in Düsseldorf, Germany, to receive treatments using stem cells harvested from his own body. Erik Gelhar believes the controversial therapy will stabilize his heart and forestall the need for a heart transplant. The treatments were recommended by his cardiologist, who was unable to figure out why Gelhar contracted the disorder. The procedure is not only unproven, it is not covered by insurance. “This is a young man who has not had a shot at life,” his cardiologist said.” I’m supporting him having a shot at life.”

By Kie Relyea, “Bellingham man tries to raise $100,000 for stem cell therapy in Germany to stabilize his heart”, September 25, 2009, © The Bellingham Herald

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

paulgochs — 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

55-Year-Old Cardiomyopathy Patient Heads To Dominican Republic

paulgochs — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:12:13 +0000

A 55-year-old resident of The Villages, Fla., suffering from cardiomyopathy will be spending $64,000, half raised by friends and neighbors, to travel to the Dominican Republic for stem cell treatments. Her dream is to fix her serious heart problem – her heart is operating at 20% capacity – and see her youngest grandchild start kindergarten. The stem cell procedure by Fla. physician Zannos Grekos involves extraction and re-injection of her own stem cells, an experimental procedure that has not been approved in the United States. “Any time you do any kind of procedure with the heart, you have some kind of risk, and I understand that,” the patient said.

Chinese, European Medical Experts Call For Global Ban On Unproven Stem Cell Treatments

amyryan — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:44:42 +0000

A group of Chinese and European doctors, lawyers and bioethicists has called on countries around the world to ban unproven and potentially unsafe stem cell treatments. The group, known as Bionet, says patients “subjected to a huge amount of hype” and desperate for stem cell treatments are wasting thousands of dollars traveling abroad. A team of Bionet investigators that visited stem cell clinics in China and India said that “stem cell research was being moved too rapidly into clinical practice without proper study.” About 150 clinics in China offer unproven stem cell treatments at an average cost of US$25,000. China recently proposed new guidelines calling for clinical trials of treatments before they are used therapeutically.

“Safety call over stem cell trips”, September 3, 2009, © BBC

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

paulgochs — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:20:28 +0000

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

Wisconsin Teen Says Chinese Stem Cell Treatment “Worked Like A Miracle”

paulgochs — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:54:18 +0000

A wheelchair-bound 16-year-old Janesville, Wisc., boy diagnosed with Type 2 spinal muscular atrophy as an infant recently returned from China, where he underwent a month-long series of experimental stem cell treatments. Kyle Knopes said the treatments “worked like a miracle:” he is now able to open and close his hands, lift his arms, and has more energy. The eight treatments, which were accompanied by physical therapy, involved injections of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. Kyle hopes that the treatments have slowed the progression of the disease.

Author Dominick Dunne Dies After Experimental Overseas Stem Cell Cancer Treatments

paulgochs — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:38:34 +0000

Experimental stem cell cancer treatments in the Dominican Republic and Germany failed to stem the progress of author Dominick Dunne’s bladder cancer. The 83-year-old former Hollywood producer died August 26. Like the late actress Farrah Fawcett, Dunne was treated unsuccessfully at Germany’s Leonardis Clinic in Bad Heilbrunn. The clinic nevertheless claims a high success rate. The U.S. FDA does not yet allow the use of stem cells to treat cancer because treatments have not proven universally safe or effective. “…[T]hose [countries] that are ahead of us in this area haven’t been able to show any real benefit, and I don’t think American patients are missing out on anything in this area,” said Dr. Stan Gerson, director of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine of Cleveland, Ohio.

Fla. Girl Off To China To Receive Stem Cells To Treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy

paulgochs — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:13:30 +0000

An eight-year-old Titusville, Fla., girl born with Type II spinal muscular atrophy will be making an 8,000-mile trip to Qingdao, China, for a month-long round of controversial stem cell treatments to straighten her arms and legs and boost her immune system. A genetic disease that disrupts a person’s ability to voluntarily control muscle movement, SMA also caused restrictive lung disease and polycystic kidney disease in the girl. With a life expectancy of 15 to 30 years, Sierra Journey Factor and her family are willing to spend the $36,000 for six umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell injections, plus $6,000 for the 16-hour journey. “Stem cells are probably going to help me straighten my arms, my fingers and help me sit up straighter,” Sierra said. “And to lift my hands up in the air.”

By Amanda Stratford, “Titusville girl prepares for trip to China for stem cell therapy”, August 27, 2009, © Florida Today