Stem cells: A personal account

[Coventina]

My nephew, who just turned two years old, has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. LGS is a severe form of epilepsy that affects young children. He developed the disorder when he was 6 months old. He had just received a bunch of immunizations, developed a high fever, and started having the seizures at that point.

His prognosis is very grim. His parents, naturally, are willing to try anything to help him. They heard about another boy in the same situation who had been helped with stem cell therapy that he received in another country. So they took my nephew earlier this year for the same treatment. The results have been...interesting. By my own observations, he has not changed much. But he hasn't gotten worse, which is certainly something, although he is also undergoing conventional treatment, so there is no way to tell which treatment is more effective. His parents are claiming that he is much more alert and responsive, but I personally don't see it. I don't say much, as I'm not with him 24 hours a day, and also, I don't want to burst their bubble of hope.

I have my doubts about the treatment, as all that is done is an IV is stuck in the patient, and stem cells are introduced in the bloodstream. According to the doctor, the stem cells "know" what to do from there. Some additional stem cells are also injected under the skin. The treatment is supposed to be done every 6 months or so, so they are leaving again shortly for the second treatment.

My point in telling this story is to express my frustration at the lack of stem cell research in this country. If we had real medical research going on, so many patients could possibly be helped. Instead, desperate cases are going overseas to get treatment that is questionable at best. I don't sit in judgement of them, I'm not in their shoes.

[CPschem]

1. It's unconscionable

that the right has made stem cell research a political issue in our country. It's such a shame for the millions of people (like me) afflicted with diseases that could eventually be cured by this technology. As a type 1 diabetic I can only take solace in the fact that other, less regressive nations are taking the lead with stem cell research.

[Coventina]

2. Yes, that's what I was trying to say, thanks.

I wish they could look at my 2 year old nephew and tell his parents. "Yes, we'd rather see him suffer and die rather than allow research on stem cells."