Kirk’s website: http://www.littlekirk.com/

Born "dead" -- 28 minutes hypoxic. Extreme developmental delays and visual problems. Siblings ignored Emily because, as her Mom (Karen) put it, she "had no personality". Emily received 200 hours + of HBO and just about every conceivable kind of treatment available, with only minor gains in function. Then she had stem cell therapy -- November 2002. Since that time she has shown great gains in her ability to focus/concentrate, and to articulate (Her vocabulary has expanded and she now uses complex sentences). She can now hold a crayon and make a line, count to 24, makes jokes, feeds her better, and has greater interaction with her siblings (who now describe her as being "so cute"). Emily's parents were so impressed with the gains after stem cell therapy, that they brought her back for a second treatment (Which was administered during late June 2003). Her folks recently reported (May 2004) that Emily attended her elder sister's wedding using a walker! The Pikes welcome queries concerning Emily's response to Stem Cell Therapy:

Sarah C, 4 year old child with CP

Excerpts from an E-mail from H C received on 5-19-04:

Dr Payne,

Based on our pediatrician's measurements Sarah's head grew substantially since December. She received the cells Nov 13th. This was a big concern of ours. Sarah had been diagnosed with microcephaly, she was (and still is )below the 2nd percentile for head size. We asked Dr . Steenblock if the cells would help head growth, he said he did not know. This is the most it has grown in years. One of Sarah's neurologists confirmed this measurement and was very pleased with the growth. I am also very very pleased !!!

Thanks Much
HC

Sammy Mograbi, child with CP

Sammy is participating in a pilot study of 10 children with cerebral palsy who receive an injection of human stem cells. On Oct. 14th, we drove from San Diego to a clinic in Tijuana where Sammy had an injection of umbilical cord stem cells. The shot did not hurt, Sam did not shed a single tear, and we were on a Jetblue aircraft flying home the same day. It works something like this: The stem cells migrate to where they are needed, where there is damage, and differentiate into that specific cell type. Sam has deep damage in his basal ganglia and other areas. This damage has caused his neurological system to hold onto a primal reflex called the ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex). This reflex normally diminishes by 3 months of age when babies bring their hands together and put them into their mouths. Retaining this ATNR prevents Sam from bringing his hands together to play. Intense rehabilitation has helped reduce it somewhat, but not enough for the right hand to be functional.

Two weeks post injection Sam did a play activity using his right hand together with the left in a midline position. A first for Sam. Four weeks post injection one of Sam's therapists (specializing in developmental movement) noted changes in how Sam's left wrist movements are 'articulating', showing connectedness to the elbow joint and shoulder in a more normal manner. She described the various changes she saw as following a developmental pattern, one in which Sam has gaps from his birth injury. In her view, Sam is now able to do very primal movements that show a strengthening of his spinal structure, much like a developing infant gains control from the head downward.

According to this view, if Sam can fill in the missing pieces of his foundation then he can learn how to integrate his new abilities into his life through daily activities/ therapy and progress.

Linda Mograbi

Below is a statement tendered by a licensed physical therapist concerning pre- and post-umbilical cord stem cell treatment responses of Alyssa Bavaro.

3/12/05

Re: Alyssa Bavaro

D.O.B. 1/24/98

Dx: Cerebral Palsy

To Whom It May Concern:

I am a pediatric physical therapist who has been seeing Alyssa since February 2002 at home twice weekly for thirty minute sessions.

When I first evaluated Alyssa, she presented as a pleasant, happy child, non-verbal except for cooing, crying sounds. Her vision, hearing, and tactile systems were intact. She communicated by eye contact, smiling, and turning her head toward voices, lights, or music. Alyssa was completely dependent for her feedings; liquids were squirted from a bottle into her mouth and her mother placed small pieces of table food or jarred baby food into her mouth.

Alyssa demonstrated severely increased tone throughout her extremities and decreased tone in neck and trunk musculature. Her extremities were typically held in a hyper-extended position. When placed in supine, she presented with the classic asymmetrical tonic neck reflex posturing (ATNR). When her head was actively or passively turned to one side, the arm and leg extended on the side to which the face was turned. The other arm and leg flexed. While the ATNR is a normal reflex in newborns, it is commonly integrated by six months of age. Perseveration of the ATNR interferes with normal development by preventing the child from bringing her hands or objects to her mouth, to midline, or across midline. Athetoid movements were obvious, specifically in her oral musculature, which demonstrated tongue thrusting, writhing lips, etc.

Alyssa’s range of motion (ROM) in her upper extremities was within functional limits (WFL), however, it required a slow steady stretch to achieve it. Passively flexing her elbows and shoulders was an effort. Alyssa predominately maintained both hands in a fisted position severely limiting her ability to grasp or release items.

Passive ROM in the lower extremities was WFL except for significant limitations in hip abduction and knee extension. Alyssa scissored her lower extremities both in a relaxed posture and especially during any attempts at volitional movement. To position Alyssa in quadruped over a bolster required a concerted effort on my part to flex her hips and knees and then I needed to maintain them in that position as she was constantly trying to kick back out into extension.

Upon initial evaluation in 2/02, Alyssa was severely limited in any anti-gravity movements or postures. She was unable to roll, to sit, or to maintain an erect head without maximal assistance. Over the course of my treatment sessions with her, she made slow steady gains. Specific improvements were noted in rolling which she could now perform at times independently, or otherwise with minimal assistance, and in increased head control (amount of time her head maintained upright when in supported sitting). Tone problems continued to interfere with progress in other areas.

Then Alyssa went for umbilical cord stem cell therapy at Dr. Fernando Ramirez’s facility in Tijuana, Mexico on 12/13/04. I admit that I, as well as most of my colleagues, was somewhat skeptical of his claims of “miracle cures.”

On my first visit, 12/15/04, following her return, her mom reported that Alyssa had “her hand in her mouth all day today.” I did not notice any significant difference in her at that point in time.

On my visit of 12/20/04, I proceeded as usual with pull-to-sit (abdominal/head/neck strengthening exercises performed from a supine position). In the past, I needed to grasp Alyssa’s wrists since her arms were in their “normal” ATNR posturing on the floor. But today, to my extreme surprise, when I said, “Give me your hands”, ALYSSA TRIED TO! She was able to lift them off the floor and toward me although not completely to midline. Then I noticed how much more relaxed her peri-oral musculature was. There was no tongue thrusting, no more lip twisting- just a calmness that was shocking to me. Head control in midline during pull-to-sit was better with my verbal cueing. Mom reported that Alyssa was easier to feed and that there was a strong increase in her appetite.

On 12/28/04, I was again astounded. When I tried to position Alyssa in quadruped over my legs, I was easily able to flex her hips and knees and then SHE MAINTAINED THE FLEXED POSITION without any assistance on my part.

On 1/3/05 we worked on the bolster. Sit straddling was so much easier than previously with decreased hip adduction tone present. Quadruped over the bolster was improved, again with Alyssa’s ability to maintain the lower extremity flexion and with weight bearing on one (still fisted) hand independently and with assistance with the other hand.

On 1/10/05, Alyssa demonstrated improved head control while in supported short sit on my leg. There was a decrease in neck flexion and an increase in the amount of time Alyssa was able to hold her head in midline with verbal cueing. She continued to require maximal assistance for her trunk to maintain the sitting posture.

On 1/18/05, Alyssa demonstrated the ability while supine to reach up and to midline with her hands to grasp mine for the anticipated pull-to-sit activity. I actually felt her abdominals forcefully initiate contractions to assist in the movement. THIS SHE HAD NEVER, EVER DONE BEFORE. While in supported short sitting on my leg, Alyssa’s arms were relaxed-held by her side with a slight natural looking bend at the elbow and hands resting in her lap- not the extreme hyperextension that she had previously exhibited.

On 1/31/05 Alyssa was able to maintain quadruped over the bolster once positioned there with assistance at only one elbow to keep it extended. She was able to weight bear on the other with active force production at the elbow and with decreased fisting with both hands. I placed Alyssa into her adaptive seating, a High-Low Chair that she has had for over a year but had been unable to tolerate due to excessive muscle tone/extensor thrusting. Alyssa sat in the chair for a total of fifteen minutes while distracted by toys WITHOUT COMPLAINTS.

On 2/7/05 Alyssa had numerous surgeries. Dr. Paul Sponseller at Johns Hopkins performed bilateral adductor lengthenings, psoas lengthenings, medial and lateral hamstring lengthenings, femoral osteotomies, and left iliac osteotomy. She was casted from her toes up to mid trunk and told to return in 3 weeks.

I did not see Alyssa again until 2/21/05. As per doctor’s orders, I only worked on upper extremity activities. Alyssa was under the influence of pain medication but performed bilateral midline activities such as clapping and playing with an accordion toy with hand over hand assistance. Moving her arms through their passive ROM was so much easier than before. Additionally, ALYSSA WAS NOW GRASPING THE HANDLES ON THE TOY WITH HER FINGERS!

On 2/28/05, we continued with upper extremity work. While supine, Alyssa was able to cradle a baby doll with one upper extremity and brush the doll’s hair with a hairbrush that she was holding in her other hand. She did require some assistance for the repetitive motions of brushing, but she held the brush independently for over ten minutes.

On 3/2/05 Alyssa assisted with feeding. I placed a spoon with a small amount of baby food on it in her hand, placed my hand over it, and guided it to her mouth. She was able to maintain her grip on the spoon even after I took my hand away. THEN SHE AMAZED ME. I positioned her bottle propped up on her casted trunk, placed her left hand around it, put the nipple in her mouth, and backed off. In the past, her caregiver not only needed to hold the bottle, but also needed to squeeze it to allow the liquid to drip into her mouth. Not today. Alyssa was opening and closing her jaw purposefully, using her teeth, to depress the nipple enough to get liquid.

Alyssa had her casts removed on 3/3/05 but physical therapy orders for lower extremity stretching, strengthening, and weight bearing are on hold until 3/14/05.

I am anxious to see what the future brings. My doubts about the effectiveness of stem cell therapy are gone. Alyssa has demonstrated unbelievable growth in her abilities in just these three short months. SHE IS LIVING PROOF that this works. The changes in Alyssa’s muscle tone have made it possible for her to perform volitional movements that she never did before. I realize it will take time to strengthen her muscles and help her to learn how to use them in more normal movement patterns, but now that her casts are off and I can work with her legs, the possibilities seem endless.

If you need further information, I can be reached at the above numbers.

Sincerely,

Jill Conlon, PT, MHS

http://adamsusserfoundation.org/

Child with Cerebral Palsy Who Could Not See or Speak Does Both Following Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy

February 10, 2005 - During December 2004 the Sinclair Broadcast Group produced and aired a 5 minute video news segment concerning the promise and utility of umbilical cord stem cell therapy. The video focuses Fon Adam Susser and his father, prominent Florida consumer affair's attorney, Gary Susser. Adam was cortically blind and could not speak prior to receiving human umbilical cord stem cells. He now can both see and speak.

Dr. Payne at Steenblock Research Institute wants those who elect to view the video to be aware of this:

"In the video the FDA raises 2 issues: (1) potential disease contamination of stem cells; and (2) rejection. The human umbilical cord stem cells (hUCSC) used by physician Fernando Ramirez in Mexico (shown in the video) are rigorously screened and certifiably free of major disease pathogens like Hepatitis A, B, C, HIV, cytomegalovirus and such. Also, as no blood antigens get into the hUCSC mix used by Ramirez et al, the likelihood of rejection is nil. And indeed, in over 100+ cases I've followed over the last 2 years and in the hundreds of documented cases worldwide involving use of pure cord blood-derived stem cells, rejection is so rare (and so mild when it does crop up) as to be virtually a non-issue."

Steenblock Research Institute does not do stem cell therapy, but does provide technical support and data analysis to various clinics abroad that do.

The SBG news video includes footage of pioneering physician Dr. David Steenblock, director of the Steenblock Research Institute (San Clemente, California) and research physician Dr. Fernando Ramirez (Mexico).

You can download and view the news segment simply by clicking on this link: http://www.stemcelltherapies.org/StemCellVideo.zip 

NOTE: The downloaded file will play if your PC has Windows Media Player

A B, 73 - Legally blind in his left eye due to macular degeneration, complications of a stroke, and glaucoma. Vision: 500/20. Eye swollen and "blood red" at the time of treatment. Received stem cells plus eye growth factors during January 2003. Vision steadily improved and is now 50/20. His MDs at Massachusetts General are reportedly quite impressed with his results. Owed to this very positive response, Mr. B elected to have a 2^nd stem cell treatment during August 2003. About 3 weeks following his second treatment, Mr. B. reported that while little new improvement had taken place in his bad eye, he had begun to regain use of a previously (stroke-caused) paralyzed left arm!