June 12, 2007
Clarksville Mom Again Taking Her 11-year-old Son to China for Stem-cell Treatment
News and TribuneBy Matthew Ralph CLARKSVILLE — Surrounded by strangers wearing white nurse’s uniforms and masks covering everything but their eyes, a jet-lagged and emotionally drained Rita Badger did the only thing she could think to do when presented with a medical-release form written entirely in Chinese.“I prayed and asked God if it was the right thing to do,” said Badger, a Clarksville woman who traveled to China with her 11-year-old son Mason for his stem-cell treatments last September.Signing the medical-release form, Badger gave a medical staff she had to use a translator to speak with permission to inject some 60 million stem cells taken from the umbilical cords of healthy newborn babies into her son’s spine. Eight months after the four-week hospital stay — where in addition to the injections, Mason underwent extensive physical therapy — Badger is convinced that the unproven technique more and more Americans are leaving the country seeking has made a difference. The second of Badger’s three boys, Mason suffers from cerebral palsy and autism. His vision is impaired and ordinary activities most healthy people take for granted are a challenge — he eats through a feeding tube and isn’t able to walk on his own. He suffers from routine seizures.“I see my son coming out,” Badger said, sitting in her living room as Mason climbed onto her lap and wrapped his arms tightly around her neck. “For him to put together the sentence ‘I want to go to McDonald’s’ is big for him. Before all he could make out was ‘Donald’s.’” Despite the high price tag — travel, a month stay at the hospital and the treatments costs $22,000 — Badger has planned a second trip to Nanshan Hospital. The treatment is unavailable in the U.S.“I’d rather have it done here at the University of Louisville and not have to leave my family for a month,” she said.The trip and its associated costs — the Badgers are relying on the generosity of others to help pay the bills — aren’t the only obstacles to overcome. Doctors in the U.S. have widely criticized the procedure and the mere mention of stem cells is sure to draw raised eyebrows given the heated political and religious debate about the use of embryonic stem cells.“I think it’s important for people to know that these stem cells come from umbilical cords of healthy babies,” Badger said. “They come from something that’s just thrown away.”The Badgers aren’t alone. More than 170 patients from 29 countries have been treated at Nanshan Hospital, according to published reports.Good, bad or indifferent, the Badgers likely won’t be worrying too much about their detractors.When Mason was an infant, Badger said doctors told the family they should consider putting him in an institution. “We were told he would never be able to do anything,” she said. “But I won’t take no for an answer.”
Clarksville Mom Again Taking Her 11-year-old Son to China for Stem-cell Treatment
News and TribuneBy Matthew Ralph CLARKSVILLE — Surrounded by strangers wearing white nurse’s uniforms and masks covering everything but their eyes, a jet-lagged and emotionally drained Rita Badger did the only thing she could think to do when presented with a medical-release form written entirely in Chinese.“I prayed and asked God if it was the right thing to do,” said Badger, a Clarksville woman who traveled to China with her 11-year-old son Mason for his stem-cell treatments last September.Signing the medical-release form, Badger gave a medical staff she had to use a translator to speak with permission to inject some 60 million stem cells taken from the umbilical cords of healthy newborn babies into her son’s spine. Eight months after the four-week hospital stay — where in addition to the injections, Mason underwent extensive physical therapy — Badger is convinced that the unproven technique more and more Americans are leaving the country seeking has made a difference. The second of Badger’s three boys, Mason suffers from cerebral palsy and autism. His vision is impaired and ordinary activities most healthy people take for granted are a challenge — he eats through a feeding tube and isn’t able to walk on his own. He suffers from routine seizures.“I see my son coming out,” Badger said, sitting in her living room as Mason climbed onto her lap and wrapped his arms tightly around her neck. “For him to put together the sentence ‘I want to go to McDonald’s’ is big for him. Before all he could make out was ‘Donald’s.’” Despite the high price tag — travel, a month stay at the hospital and the treatments costs $22,000 — Badger has planned a second trip to Nanshan Hospital. The treatment is unavailable in the U.S.“I’d rather have it done here at the University of Louisville and not have to leave my family for a month,” she said.The trip and its associated costs — the Badgers are relying on the generosity of others to help pay the bills — aren’t the only obstacles to overcome. Doctors in the U.S. have widely criticized the procedure and the mere mention of stem cells is sure to draw raised eyebrows given the heated political and religious debate about the use of embryonic stem cells.“I think it’s important for people to know that these stem cells come from umbilical cords of healthy babies,” Badger said. “They come from something that’s just thrown away.”The Badgers aren’t alone. More than 170 patients from 29 countries have been treated at Nanshan Hospital, according to published reports.Good, bad or indifferent, the Badgers likely won’t be worrying too much about their detractors.When Mason was an infant, Badger said doctors told the family they should consider putting him in an institution. “We were told he would never be able to do anything,” she said. “But I won’t take no for an answer.”
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