Mason’s Stem Cell Journey

Mason…. Where do I start? Many of you have followed our journey with Mason.  From his birth, to his Autism diagnosis just a few weeks before his 3rd birthday, and to the recent gains we have seen along the way. 

Mason has always been different. He never liked to be held or touched. Loud sounds hurt his ears. Sudden changes scare him. Food is a challenging subject. So for him, routines are calming and repetition is crucial. 

10 months ago we decided to take a leap of faith and have Mason participate in stem cell therapy. We hoped we would see some improvement in speech or social situations, but never did I expect to see the gains we are currently seeing. If you had asked me a year ago if Mason would walk up to me (on his own) and grab me, hug me, and tell me, “Mommy, I love you”… or, “Daddy, come play with me…”, I would have cried on your shoulder because I never thought I would hear those words from my son. But I hear those words now. And I hear them daily. 

Mason has gone from saying 1-2 words (most of which was echolalia, which is the repeating of words you are saying) to now speaking in 6-7-8 word sentences. He is requesting things that he wants or needs. He is able to come to you, ask for help, and communicate to you his needs! This is by far his biggest gain but it doesn’t stop there! I would have weekly breakdowns with Mason where he and I would end up in tears. I couldn’t understand and he couldn’t explain. We were stuck in a vicious cycle. And now, he doesn’t lash out with aggression when there is a slight change in routine. (Yeah, he still has tantrums, he is 5 lol.) He is able to tolerate loud noises (he still sometimes covers his ears). But this year he participated in fireworks for 4th of July!! And they were loud!!! He actively seeks out William to play with him. He WANTS to play with his brother - another thing I never thought I would see. Mason always wanted to play on his own but now he is seeking out strangers at the park to talk and play with. 

So why am I recapping our journey?

We want to continue Mason’s stem cell treatment. Many of you have expressed your willingness to help us but didn’t know how. And honestly, I didn’t know how anyone could help either. I thought the journey that Raymond, William, Mason and I are on was truly our journey and our journey alone. It was no one else’s responsibility to care for MY child. But what I have learned is that WE HAVE A VILLAGE! We have a village of people who help us, whether it be through kind words from friends on a tough day, or family caring for the kids so we can have a date, or Ashley who instructs, teaches and plays with the boys every week! Our journey would be a lonely one without all of you. So here is the answer to the question, how can you help…

For Mason’s birthday this year, instead of gifts, we are asking for help funding another round of stem cells. This is a three-day treatment plan that consists of 300 million live cells (UC-MSC) and a 30,000 IU Vitamin D. This is about 100 million more cells than he received last time. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE GAINS! We appreciate any amount and will continue to share our progress. I can promise you that you’ll get the good, the bad, and the ugly. We love all of you and thank you for the support you have given us in our Autism journey.