Stem Cell Research Helps Girl With Autism

A woman from New York has written an open letter to Obama saying that stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells has helped her daughter's autism. Judy DiCorcia is reporting that her daughter, Lauren, a 10 year old girl with autism has improved significantly after the stem cell treatment and therapy in Germany in January 2009.

Process of Stem Cell Research and Therapy for Autism

1. Bone Marrow Extracted From Patient


2. Using a centrifuge, stem cells are separated from the bone marrow


3. Implanted into spinal canal via lumbar puncture- a simple procedure

As easy as 1,2, 3!

Improvements in Lauren After Stem Cell Treatment

• Can sleep through the night for the first time


• Less Frustrated


• Better focused, more compliant


• Moms says a "40% general improvement which is huge for an autistic child"

From the stem cell article:

Now, more than five months since her treatment, Mrs. DiCorcia reports that her daughter is still doing well, "Lauren is doing well. I would have to say that she 'plateaued' at about the 12-week mark. Her situation is stable and fortunately all positive effects have persisted. I wish the doctor could fly to the US and perform the therapy here!"

I wish they could perform the procedure here too Mrs. DiCorcia.   Again, nobody is saying the stem cell therapy has cured Lauren.  But the improvement in the quality of life is what is most important.  And Lauren's mom says the improvement was 40%- in a simple procedure.

Now, Lauren had nothing to lose, the research has been done-  the procedure used her own Adult Stem Cells so was perfectly safe.   And it paid off for the family.

Here is the full letter from Lauren's mother addressed to Obama-

Dear President Obama,

I am the mother of a 10-year-old autistic daughter. In January, we took Lauren to Cologne, Germany for Adult Stem Cell therapy. The center used her own stem cells drawn from her hip bone marrow, centrifuged the next day, and then reinserted via lumbar puncture the following day (2.95 million cells). Both procedures were quick and not invasive at all. In the past 6 weeks we have seen significant improvements in our daughter's behaviors, focus, hyperactivity, and insomnia. I would rate a general improvement of about 40% - this is HUGE for a family living with autism. Our daughter started sleeping through the night for the first time (yes, she is 10 and got up every night) since stem cells. Lauren is happier just in her own skin - so much less frustrated and just generally happier. She is getting through her one-on-one therapy more quickly, better focused, and more compliant. Of course, it amazes me that this simple, non-controversial therapy cannot be done here in the United States.

Sincerely,
Judy DiCorcia

It amazes me too Judy.  You should send your letter to the FDA as well.

We have previously reported  on autism with Matthew Faiella who has also improved due to stem cell research after adult stem cell treatment in Costa Rica.  Here is more on Matthew and how stem cells have helped his autism

Research on Stem Cell Treatments Abroad

If you have done any research on stem cell treatments abroad, you will undoubtedly read negative articles like this one on CNN from the mainstream media saying these companies are promising cures and are preying on the desperate, that these companies are selling "snake oil"   Nothing could be further from the truth.

The stem cell companies and stem cell doctors that are part of the Repair Stem Cell Institute offer patients a good chance at an improvement in the patient's quality of life- they don't offer nor promise cures.  Patients going to these stem cell therapy treatment centers abroad know this.

Unfortunately, the United States and their FDA don't give these patients any other options.  Are they able to use their own stem cells to help their multiple sclerosis or heart disease-  Stem Cells that have been proven safe in thousands of studies? No.  What is one to do then?  These patients must go abroad for the only treatment that can help their disease or condition.

Here is a sampling of what some of these companies  affiliated with the Repair Stem Cell Institute tell their patients:

From Stem Cells China:

It's not a cure. It's about quality of life. Every day I see inquiries begin like this: "Can stem cells cure...?" Everyone should know the answer to that one right away. No. No known therapy utilizing stem cells can cure any medical condition. Not one.

A cure would rewrite the broken code of your genome. A cure would rewind the debilitating progression of a neuro-degenerative disease to the moment before onset. A cure would fix all the wrongs of a baby's challenged birth. We eagerly await the development of cures and their accessibility to patients in need.

So why are people receiving stem cell therapy today? Therapies involving adult stem cells today are providing quality of life improvements for many patients. It's no cure. Just as painkillers are not a cure for pain. They improve our quality of life if we feel pain.

But who would deny that painkillers are still worthwhile for extreme pain? Many doctors in the West are saying that they don't have enough proof that stem cells are improving quality of life for patients. In the meantime, patients are busy coming to China and China's stem cell clinics are busy offering the chance for quality of life improvements where none else would exist. We encourage you to explore the therapies being offered today.

From Dr. Shimon Slavin, Israel, helping people like Louis Zylstra and Arndt Roehlig

However, we have some positive and most encouraging evidence that the cells we inject may be of benefit, especially as evidenced in some patients with multiple sclerosis as well as based on the first patient we treated with spinal injury that seemed to have somewhat improved. The good news is that there are no side effects at all so there is no risk and nothing to lose (except money…). I would like to stress that since we are in very early stages of our research, nothing can be said about the clinical efficacy of our approach.  However, on the other hand, I do understand that patients in need cannot wait for all the answers to be solved and this is why we agree to offer experimental procedures for patients that understand the experimental nature of our program and consent to try and explore new treatment options.



From Dr. Roberto Fernandez Vina-- For doctors who say that current stem cell therapies are "unproven," Dr. Fernandez Viña has the following response:

"How many patients must to be treated to say this is a cure? How many patients must die waiting for the word "cure?"

A lot of diseases are not totally cured with drugs but the laboratories talk about curing (HIV, Tuberculosis and a lot of malignant deseases). They say that the drugs "cure" but in reality the drugs improve the quality of life. Stem cells "cure" in the same sense. If a person is dying of diabetes and we improve the prognosis and he no longer needs insulin injections, we increase the C peptide, decrease the HbA1c, decrease protein in the urine, decrease the risk of amputation or kidney failure, in my book that is a "cure."

From Richard Humphries, with multiple sclerosis and a stem cell recipient from Cell Medicine in Costa Rica:

I’m case study #1 in the paper (Multiple Sclerosis Study) just released and have had two stem cell treatments in Costa Rica where they promise nothing but deliver wonderful results. Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients can’t wait on historical data. Time is not on our side but stem cells improved my quality of life and the follow up MRI looks excellent.

From the X cell Center in Germany:

Even if not all of the interactions have been conclusively researched to date, the status of the current medical insights has indeed reached a level that allows the non- hazardous treatment with adult stem cells and puts medical professionals in a position to assume responsibility for its use.

Given the proven treatment success of regenerative medicine, the question of whether more research is needed prior to therapeutic use has already been answered.

Those who nevertheless demand stem cell therapy be postponed until we know more about it are taking away patients’ rights to make their own decisions as they search for medical solutions – for the kind of help stem cell therapy does offer.

Stem Cell Research Helping Regrowth of Hair, Treating Baldness

A clinic in Florida is doing an experimental  stem cell research study to treat baldness with Adult Stem Cells from the patient's own blood.  John Satino, the clinical director of the Hair & Scalp Laser Clinic in Florida is now testing a method of using stem cell therapy and treatment to stimulate hair growth in people who are suffering from premature baldness.

Process of Stem Cells for Baldness

1. Blood is drawn from the patient


2. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Containing Stem Cells and Growth Factors are separated from the blood


3. The stem cells are then injected into the affected (Balding) areas


4. A Laser is also used to agitate the skin so the stem cells can migrate into the hair follicles

The stem cell article here features a Florida resident named Russell Gibson. Russell is 30 years old. Here is more:

Gibson has alopecia areata which is an auto-immune disease where white blood cells attack the hair follicle which stops hair growth on the scalp and on the body. Gibson's eyebrows and lashes have fallen out. There is no cure.

The hair clinic is treating Gibson and 5 others for free as part of the stem cell research study. The results of the research study are expected to be published. Hey John Satino, when you finish the stem cell study, please let the Don Margolis Blog know the results! We want to know.

The results of the study should be interesting. When I was with Theravitae, I saw the heart disease patients treated with Vescell and one of the positive side effects in addition to the benefits to the heart was that some of the patients reported that their hair was growing back- so this idea seems to be a good one. I'd like to see how Russell is doing in a few months as from the story, it seems he was just treated with his own Adult Stem Cells.

Hey FDA, are you getting this? A person is being helped by his own stem cells again, you better step in and stop this "improving the quality of lives" stuff right away!

Another Heart Failure Patient Saved By Stem Cell Research

Barbro Lowed, a retired air hostess from London, England says that stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells removed from her bone marrow has given her her life back.  Barbro had previously been suffering from congestive heart failure before the stem cell treatment. The heart failure was caused by a faulty valve.

This research story starts with Barbro going into congestive heart failure because of a leaky heart valve.  Then in Barbro's own words -

Unless it was repaired, my heart would steadily worsen, until it couldn't function any more. Even though I needed the operation straight away, the NHS waiting list was two years, which really worried me.

After six months, with no sign of an operation date, I was getting desperate. I felt dizzy and lethargic all the time and couldn't even walk to the local shops without struggling for breath.

When Free Health Care Isn't Free Anymore

Ok, I will give the US FDA a day off and target Socialist (Free?) Healthcare today. Can you imagine needing an operation yesterday and having to wait 2 years?  That is shameful.   And this is what Obama has in mind for us? I hope not. But no more ranting- on with the stem cell story....

Finding A Stem Cell Doctor Who Used Her Own Adult Stem Cells

Barbro found Professor Andreas Zeiher in Germany who had been performing stem cell therapy using the patient's own Adult Stem Cells for many years. Now this is where the story gets a little confusing (at least to me):

Stem Cell Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure

According to Barbro's account, Dr. Zeiher implanted the stem cells into her heart valve which apparently improved both her valve and her congestive heart failure. But if you look at the article, then in part 2, Dr. Zeiher describes implanting the stem cells into the arteries to cure the heart failure and in turn the heart valve?

Very confusing, but the most important part of the story is that Barbro now has her life back thanks to being implanted with her own Adult Stem Cells.

How Do the Stem Cells Do That Thing They Do?

Also from the article is this interesting tidbit from Dr. Zeiher: Stem cells have this extraordinary ability to turn into other cells. They help the heart heal by encouraging the formation of new blood vessels, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle.

And as far as we know, unlike drug treatments, stem cell transplants have no undesirable side-effects. The process is also less risky than conventional open-heart surgery, as it doesn't involve a general anaesthetic, which is always a concern with a heart failure patient.

You can read the full article here as it is very fascinating-  Stem Cell Research Article

This is the 2nd day in a row with a Heart Disease story helped by Stem Cell Research using a patient's own stem cells. Yesterday we featured a Michigan man who also suffered from congestive heart failure.

Adult Stem Cells Fix Damaged Heart Muscle

Stem cell research has helped James Eilert repair his damaged heart muscle after a severe heart attack. Using his own Adult Stem Cells, James has made almost a complete recovery after his heart attack 3 years ago.

Heart Attack Left Him Devastated

James, only 34 at the time of his heart attack, had lost hope. He was short of breath, fatigued and sweating all the time. Work was getting very difficult. Depression had set in. James had given up hope.

Stem Cell Research in Thailand

One day, James stumbled upon the Vescell website. In Bangkok, Thailand, the company Theravitae, a stem cell research company and makers of Vescell use a patient's own Adult Stem Cells to help heal heart attack, heart failure, and heart disease patients.

James quickly contacted them and on November 14, 2007 had his own stem cells implanted using a catheter.

Before the Stem Cell Therapy

• Ejection fraction was 20-25%


• Difficulty Working


• Gasping for breath, sweating all the time

After the Adult Stem Cell Treatment

• Ejection fraction at 50%


• Can Work Full Time


• No Restriction or Limitations

From the stem cell article:

After the treatment, James was thrilled with the results of the Vescell ™.  “I had an echocardiogram only 2 weeks after my stem cell therapy and my completely dead apex was beating again.  I was shocked and ecstatic at the same time.”

James now is going on 20 mile bike rides and living life to the fullest.

Stem Cell Treatment? Why Not the USA?

What would have happened if there was no Vescell in Thailand for James?  Most likely he would still be suffering from congestive heart failure- shortness of breath, fatigue, sweating all the time and depressed.  He was one of the lucky ones.  Most people in the US who have heart disease usually either can't go abroad for treatment or don't want to because they believe the US offers the highest standards in health care.   Sadly, in the case of congestive heart failure, these people are mistaken.  The US is falling behind by not allowing the use of the patient's own Adult Stem Cells to heal themselves.  Yes, I'm talking to you US FDA. You are making people suffer.

Please feel free to contact James via email jameseilert@att.net or phone- 248-227-3016

It looks like my old friends at Theravitae, the makers of Vescell are becoming more active on the internet.  It is about time. Keep it up guys.  I'm cheering for you.