Update on Baby Jackson's Vision Progress post treatment

Comment from stem cell girl:

Jackson was in China in Novemebr/December. He was 10 months old at the time of his treatment and thus is the youngest ONH case treated thus far. Below is an update from his mother about his progress thus far.

Sorry it has taken me so long to post an update on Jackson. He isdoing GREAT!! Aside from being sick for the last 3 weeks (common coldetc..) his vision seems to be getting better and better. We have ababy toy flashlight that is completely silent but has red and greenflashing lights in it. We can now hold that about 6 inches away fromhis face and he will reach for it EVERY time. Before treatment inChina, he wouldn't ever do anything of the sort. His Dr. even agreesthat his light perception is more "normal" now where before he saidJack's pupils were very slow to respond to changes in lighting. He isalso motivated to crawl now. Just yesterday, I turned away for 2seconds and he had moved about 4ft. across the floor taking about 5-10crawling steps. I am amazed. He also holds his head up a lot morenow and appears to be looking around for something to see. Before, hewould mostly sit with his head down. Well, again...sorry for thedelay with posting an update, like I said, he's been sick and it tookus a good month to get him back on US time after we returned fromHangzhou. But, it was worth every minute, every penny and everyonesprayers and kind gestures were and still are greatly appreciated. Wewill keep everyone posted on any further improvements. God bless.Rachael (Mother of Jackson)

Miracle in the Making

COLUMBIA - Six-year old Lydia Olmsted has never seen her mother's face. But her mother's love is wrapped all around her.
The two share their secrets, their laugther, and their fears. It's a love they say is blind.
Doctors diagnosed Lydia with Septo-optic Dysplagia. It's a rare disorder causing the abnormal development of the optic disk, often causing blindness.
"They told us she had Optic Nerve Dysplagia and was blind. There was no treatment," explained Juli Olmsted, Lydia's mother.
The Olmsteds adjusted to the disorder the best they could until they found hope from the most unusual source. It was an article in the National Inquirer that said a blind girl could now see.
"There was finally some hope. When your child is first diagnosed they always tell you there's nothing to do here are resources," said Juli. "It's difficult when you find out that and then all the sudden there's treatment options and there's hope."
After researching the article Juli contacted the doctors who restored sight.
"We told her there were some doctors in China that could make people like here able to see with her eyes. I asked her to see if she would be interested in trying that," said Julie. "We have fairly adult type conversation you can't really pull the wool over her eyes."
The Olmsteds leave for China this month, where Lydia will under go five stem-cell treatments. Lydia says she's not scared, she's always been brave, and she has her very "brave lion" to keep her safe. \
"I'm excited to fly on the plane and getting to see," said Lydia. She already knows what she wants to see.
"I asked what whe would like to see with her eyes she said bugs. And then I asked her who she would like to see if she could see a person. This kind of shows were I stand, she said Ryan Seacrest," laughed Juli.
"Well, because, I have a crush on him," said Lydia.
They say their only worry is keeping their carry on bags under 50 pounds.
And the rest... well they'll just have to wait and see.
Click here for video link: http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/52402cdd-80ce-0971-0183-ac0f42dfed7c

Stay away from Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Treatments in Beijing

Comment From Stem Cell Girl:

I have been saying “stay away” from this group and their OEC treatments for the past two years. Glad to know someone in the world agrees with me.

Dutch study warns against Chinese stem-cell treatments
Leonard Van Den Berg, a neurologist at University Medical Centre in Utrecht, Netherlands, reported on followup studies of patients who went to China for treatment with a type of stem cell found in human fetal nasal lining (olfactory ensheathing cells, or OECs).
At Beijing West Hill Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, OECs are injected into the brains of ALS patients, at a cost of approximately $25,000.
A Dutch study followed 12 patients who went to Beijing. Seven reported very short-term improvement in functioning or an increase in strength immediately after the injections, lasting less than a day. Three saw no change, and two said they deteriorated.
ALSFRS scores, respiratory measurements and strength tests resumed a downward course in all cases. Of the 10 patients who later died, median survival time was 2.9 years. One person developed a serious blood clot, and another developed pneumonia.
Van Den Berg recommended that people not seek stem-cell treatments in Beijing. He also reported that the West Hill center has since closed, because the Chinese government considered it too “mercantile.”

Carl's vision appears to be returning

Ozarks Local News

Carl Stevens whose story about planning to go to China for stem cell treatments for his blindness was published in the the News-Leader in December is getting light flashes in his vision after beginning the treatments, according his wife, Vickie Stevens.
Stevens, 57, of Garrison, checked into a Hangzhou City, China, hospital Dec. 28 for a month of treatment.
He said he believed his only hope to regain his sight was to travel to China for umbilical cord stem cell treatments not available in the United States.
Stevens lost his eyesight four years ago during a long battle with strep B pneumonia.
The treatments, which use the umbilical cord blood of live-born babies, are not available in the United States because of FDA regulations and other processes.

Comment from stem cell girl:
1/7/08

I have just found out that Carl has responded positivlt to the flash light test. He is also showing signs of a pupil response to light for the first time since he was left blind!

Hannah Montana Tickets Helping Girl Get Eye Surgery

By Ryan Duffy
First Coast News

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL -- Emily, Devin, Emily and Allison from St. Augustine hadn't met six year old Rylee Lovett until Wednesday.

But they had already decided to give her a very valuable gift.

It is the hottest concert ticket in the country, Hannah Montana, and the girls were able to snag four to the Jacksonville show.

They were thrilled to go, but then they saw Rylee's story.

"We decided to give tickets to the little girl Rylee so she could auction them off and make lots of money for her trip to China," says Devin Schooley.

"I understand what a big deal it is, I remember being a little girl and loving something and it's so sweet of these kids, such a nice thing," says Rylee's mom, Shayla Lovett.

Rylee has a rare eye condition and is nearly blind.

There was no hope of improvement until Rylee's parents heard of an operation being done in China that has had good results.

But the operation costs $60,000.

So the Lovett's will raffle off the Hannah Montana tickets.

Emily, Devin, Emily and Allison won't get to go see Hannah but they say it's worth it for their new friend Rylee.

"We thought Hannah Montana in two years wouldn't be that much to us, but this little girl can see and that's a lifetime," says Devin.

So far the Lovetts raised $25,000.

Click here to link to the TV web site with her Video clip. http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=99140

Rylea Update and DVD on ONH/SOD

Here is just a very quick up date on our lovely Miss Rylea who has just had another evaluation with Dr. Brothers. She is now able to see colors!!














We have suspected for the past couple of months that she was indeed seeing some color but now we know for certain that she is. Even better her vision with her glasses on has improved since just a few weeks ago and is now rated at 20/1200. It is unknown how much difference the glasses are making for her but Dr. Bothers feels they might be “sharpening” the images for her.
Rylea is now 5 months post treatment and is still going strong with her continual improvements in vision. She has not done any Hyperbarics at this point.















The photos shown here were all taken this past November while we were in Florida at the Cord Blood Medical Awareness Rally which was organized by Cameron Peterson's Grandmother Carol.

We had families from not only Florida but from all over the United States. Some of the parents were able to talk about what the treatments derived from Umbilical Cord Blood meant to them and their children.














............This young man took center stage after the "adults" were done and belted out a couple of amazing tunes for our visitors. He and his family will be heading for China this summer. They said they had their doubts until that day in the park when they saw for themselves that not only was I a real person but so were the other children that had already been treated and the results they had seen were measurable and concrete.















Along with me during my three days in Florida was a film crew brought in by Wealth TV. The crew spent several hours each day recording my one on one sessions with families and conducting their own interviews.














During those 3 days meeting and talking with parents one on one. I did personal evaluations of their children and reviewed the medical documents brought to me by the parents. While I was not able to tell all the parents that their children could be treated I think every one of them found valuable information and some answers.















................I have also just received my copy of the Wealth TV Special on Optic Nerve Hypoplasia which aired nation wide this past December 19th.
I do have permission from the network producer to make copies of it for parents and send those copies out but I am not allowed to post it on the Internet. This is a 30 minute special covering the treatment of ONH with stem cells and features many of the children who attended the Medical Awareness Rally in Florida. Rylea and Cameron as well as another child Tre who will be heading to China for treatment and their cases were those featured in the piece.

For those inside the USA and Canada who would like to have a copy of this DVD please let me know and I will be happy to mail one out to you free of charge. Just send me via my personal email address your full name and mailing address.









My emails are:
kirshner.ross@gmail.com
kirsh@vaden.com
kirshner@beikebiotech.com kirshner@stemcellschina.com