Support Dayniah's Journey
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Dayniah Manderson is already a statistical miracle at 39 years old and born with a degenerative
neuromuscular disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Type II (SMA). Dayniah lives life from a
power wheelchair and has never walked, bathed alone or done most of the things that we take
for granted. She has defied all of the odds….having a child (I can’t find a single reference that
anyone with SMA Type II has had a child….age expectancy with this disease is approximately 25-
29 years), obtaining her BA and MA from NYU in education completely on scholarships,
teaching middle school full time and the list goes on. About 10 years ago, Dayniah was facing a
predictable end to her life as her spine was collapsing and crushing her heart and lungs. A
brave spine surgeon, Dr Boachie at Hospital for Special Surgery, was the only one who had the
courage to operate on her and in doing so, gave Dayniah many more years. Her disease
marches on though and as she reaches the next milestone in her life, another courageous
doctor, Dr Neil Riordan, has agreed to treat Dayniah for free with a stem cell protocol in
Panama. There is preliminary data showing remarkable response in her disease when treated
with powerful postnatally derived stem cells. The Institute has generously agreed to absorb all
costs if I can just get her there. Travel for Dayniah is complicated and I am trying to raise the
money to bring her and her necessary aide down there. Please won’t you help me make this
happen for her and try to give her another 10 or more years to watch her daughter grow and to
contribute to society as she has always done.
neuromuscular disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Type II (SMA). Dayniah lives life from a
power wheelchair and has never walked, bathed alone or done most of the things that we take
for granted. She has defied all of the odds….having a child (I can’t find a single reference that
anyone with SMA Type II has had a child….age expectancy with this disease is approximately 25-
29 years), obtaining her BA and MA from NYU in education completely on scholarships,
teaching middle school full time and the list goes on. About 10 years ago, Dayniah was facing a
predictable end to her life as her spine was collapsing and crushing her heart and lungs. A
brave spine surgeon, Dr Boachie at Hospital for Special Surgery, was the only one who had the
courage to operate on her and in doing so, gave Dayniah many more years. Her disease
marches on though and as she reaches the next milestone in her life, another courageous
doctor, Dr Neil Riordan, has agreed to treat Dayniah for free with a stem cell protocol in
Panama. There is preliminary data showing remarkable response in her disease when treated
with powerful postnatally derived stem cells. The Institute has generously agreed to absorb all
costs if I can just get her there. Travel for Dayniah is complicated and I am trying to raise the
money to bring her and her necessary aide down there. Please won’t you help me make this
happen for her and try to give her another 10 or more years to watch her daughter grow and to
contribute to society as she has always done.