Help John Get Stem Cell Therapy.
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Hello my name is John Magee.
When I was five years old, I suffered a brain injury after a fall and my parents were given the devastating news that the right side of my body would be paralysed permanently.
Doctors insisted that I would never be able to do what other children my age took for granted, like playing soccer, sports or riding a bike, but I persevered with the help of my mother and late father, determined to live as normal a life as possible despite the physical challenges of everyday life.
Eventually, after physiotherapy, I regained the use of my leg, although there was now a difference of 1 3/4 inches compared to the length of my left leg. My mother Jennifer even bought me a bicycle, which she taught me how to ride my taping my foot to the pedal. Very soon I was able to cycle normally like all the other children my age.
However, despite all the years of physiotherapy, I never regained any use in my right arm or hand, which, as I got older, left me very confused about my situation, as many of the everyday things other people take for granted, were a physical challenge for me to overcome.
Even though I was laughed at, made fun of and called names, I vowed that I would never let my disability hinder me or stop me trying new things and a few years ago I decided to try out physical strength training through weight lifting and boxing, and following the advice of others I have overcome the obstacles I initially faced.
Despite these accomplishments, i still have limits to my basic daily movements, and my condition will only continue to worsen over the coming years.
After many hours of research and conversations with medical professionals, I believe that the best treatment area for me lies in Stem Cell Therapy. Which I have discovered is only offered abroad in countries such as Switzerland. I have been lucky enough to have several informative conversations with Dr Alexandra Vale of the Swiss Medica XXI Century clinic in Serbia. She has been extremely helpful in helping me understand the procedure.
Stem cell treatment itself involves the reactivation or regeneration of the body. The treatment acts as a trigger to bring the nerves of the body back to life by the treatment cells when introduced into the system via injection through the spinal cord proceeding around the body until coming into contact with the damaged cells and beginning the regeneration process. This procedure is repeated between 6-8 times over a period of 3 weeks. After which I have the option of remaining at the clinic for a period for 6 to 8 weeks or returning home to northern Ireland.
Naturally the cost of this treatment is expensive and despite my best efforts to raise or borrow money I'm living day to day on the basic minimums with no real hope of ever being able to acquire the necessary funds to pay for this.
In breaking down the costs for treatment, I have concluded that the price for the stem cell treatment alone comes to £28,000. While the cost for travel to and from the clinic as well as cost for accommodation comes to £900.
I'm here to ask for help from people who can understand what it means to have suffered from a physical impairment or severe mental health condition that makes you consider suicide or the feeling of hopelessness. All i wish for is the chance to experience the reminder of my life as a fully functional human being instead of potentially being confined to a wheelchair.
If you wish to help me I would be eternally grateful for your compassion.
To help understand what type of treatment I'm attempting to get these are the links that have helped me during research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6600381/Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Injury
Treatment of Cerebral Palsy with Stem Cells: A Report of 17 Cases
The Effect of Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient with Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report
Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Cerebral Palsy
Human embryonic stem cells in the treatment of patients with spinal cord injury
Stem Cells Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury: An Overview of Clinical Trials
Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: Current Options, Limitations, and Future of Cell Therapy
Organiser
John Magee
Organiser
Northern Ireland
