Today I sat in on a webinar out of Boston University about the progress of clinical trials in the US, and how as a patient with SCI to best prepare yourself to be ready for the trials. The main things I need to do to be ready would include maintaining the proper weight, eating healthy, and exercising regularly. All areas that I could improve on most certainly. Also, standing was a pretty big deal as you'll need to be able to stand for long periods of time to be part of the trials. This area I've got covered. You see most people in a wheelchair haven't stood in a VERY long time, and when you stand up without having stood for a year or more you are likely to pass out because your blood pressure drops. You have to work your way back up to standing again, minutes at a time. I plan to continue standing regularly so that I'll be ready to go when they find a cure (if I'm not walking by then).
Dr. Wise Young from Rutgers and his team of neurosurgeons and scientists are about to embark on Phase 2 of their clinical trials, which is incredibly exciting. They are seeing some great success with animals, and really seem to be close to a cure. And when I say close, I mean 5-10 years out. In my life time. Wow. I know that I'll be healed one day, and it's great to hope that others can be as well.
What can you do to help? Donate just $1 (more if you can). It's super easy, every single one of you can afford it, and these clinical trials need so much money to proceed. Every dollar you donate on this website goes directly to supporting these trials. If the UW is in on these trials (they haven't announced the participating hospitals yet) you can bet I'll do my best to be a part of it.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually thankful that Obama became president for my own very selfish reasons. He lifted the ban on stem cell research which has allowed Dr. Wise to really move forward with his trials. It's too bad that so many people associate stem cells as killing babies and a list of other negative things. If you do your research you'll find out that certainly isn't the case at all, and many wonderful things are going to come out of stem cell research.
3 comments:
Medicine or miracle, you will be walking again soon!
You ought to also thank GW Bush FOR the ban on stem cells as well. Working in the medical science (a heavily liberal dominated venue) it is well understood and under acknowledged fact that the ban forced the field to go in directions that have greatly amplified, accelerate and extended application and understanding of stem cells. Most people don't know that not all stem cells are the same. First of all not stem cells are embroyonic in nature, and furthermore we know now the differing levels of pluripotency of stem cells is not always a positive aspect to their use. The same stem cell that may allow repair of some system may also give you cancer, simply because of its ability to become anything. Because of GW's ban scientist have had to reverse engineer tissue specific stem cells to differing levels of pluripotency and NOW we can use the knowledge to make directed but limited stem cell differentiation to tissues of interest with greatly reduced risks of cancer. Some of the earlier embroyonic stem cell research did in fact result in the receipient getting cancer. Each patient has the right to decide if walking again or any number of possible cures of maladies are worth dying of cancer, but now because of the ban hopefully that risk will be greatly reduced.
That is very interesting, Nate. There is still just so much I do not know about stem cells (and will never probably know). Thanks for sharing that information.
Post a Comment