Help Shalom's Fight for a Brighter Future: Stem Cell Therapy

Jackeline Dubon Small is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hello Everyone,

As many of you know, we have 4 precious babies that we love dearly: Scarlett, Samson, Shalom, and Selah. It is with hopeful hearts that we are reaching out today on behalf of our son Shalom in hopes of offering him a life changing opportunity through the use of stem cell therapy. We are hopeful that through this method we can open the door towards a better quality of life and ultimately a brighter future for the life of our son!

Shalom’s story has touched the hearts of many! He has faced numerous obstacles in his short 4 years of life and continues to show immense resilience as he continues fighting each and every day.

Shalom is our precious little miracle. He is on the autism spectrum with a level 3 severity. He is currently under neurological evaluation for medical suspicion of an additional condition aside from autism.

Autism does not fall under a “one size fits all” category. It is extremely individualized with every child presenting differently. Shalom has received multiple therapies including Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy, which is considered the gold standard of care for children with autism spectrum disorder here in the US. Yet despite being under multiple high quality therapies including ABA, occupational therapy (OT) and speech, we have seen no discernible improvements in his social and behavioral functions.

Shalom’s limited progression prompted us to dig further into other treatment options for our child. We were led into the world of stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy is known to regenerate the cells in the body; offering the possibility for immeasurable benefit in children with autism. This form of therapy has the ability to alleviate many of the common symptoms of autism by decreasing inflammation in the gut.

Children with autism often experience chronic inflammation. They are particularly prone to gastrointestinal dysfunctions that affect the entire body.

Stem cell therapy can help restore normal functioning in many of the bodily systems that are affected by autism; helping with behavioral issues such as aggression and normalizing brain functions.

Potential benefits of therapy include improvements in social and behavioral skills such as non-verbal and repetitive behavior patterns and increasing child independence. Speech and overall communication improvements are also a reported benefit among autistic children.

Every stem cell treatment is tailored to fit the specific needs of the child with the cost depending on the recommended treatment plan. With research indicating greater success rates for stem cell use in children between the ages of 3 and 6, our hopes are to have Shalom receive treatment during this critical age window.

Unfortunately, stem cell therapy is not covered by medical insurance. For this reason, we are kindly and humbly reaching out to our community, families, and friends to help us raise the necessary funds for stem cell therapy.

Every contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a difference! Your generosity will enable us to cover treatment expenses and the associated costs like travel and stay as well as ongoing therapy sessions for our beloved son.

For those that would like to know more, please refer to the video links below on success stories with stem cell use in autism. I will also be providing a video link for everyone to have the chance to familiarize themselves with the story of our little warrior. We will also be documenting everything so everyone can be a part in following his progress.

We understand there is no miracle cure for autism but we have hope that this will open the door for a future filled with possibilities! With your help, I know we can give Shalom those wings of hope!

Shalom’s Medical Journey

Shalom is our miracle baby; our little warrior since he was in the womb. He was born with gastroschisis; a birth defect where a hole in the belly wall allows the baby's organs to extend outside of the body while developing in the womb. He was born with his intestines, liver, stomach, and gallbladder outside of his body. He spent a month in the NICU following his birth. In hopes of helping other families, I documented his entire journey. I have provided a video link at the bottom.

Children born with gastroschisis are able to live normal lives; however, this was not the case for our son. When Shalom turned 2, we began to notice his speech was delayed along with abnormal behaviors like tiptoe walking, stimming, and head banging. Shortly after he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Shalom is now 4 years old and completely non-verbal. Many of his symptoms have continued to worsen. His excessive head banging has even caused holes in the walls of our home resulting in CT scans and ultrasounds.

We have tried everything to ensure his safety and so far nothing has worked for us. His tantrums can last all day with constant whining and crying. Because he is unable to communicate, he experiences daily frustrations that eventually result in aggressive and uncontrollable outbursts. His aggression is now leading to intentional acts of self-harm as he is growing older.

Additionally, Shalom experiences severe lack of sleep. At 4 years old, he is still unable to be potty trained. He has no awareness for his safety which is very frightening for us as a family. This is mentally, physically, and emotionally difficult for everyone in the home, but we will never give up on our baby boy. No parent should have to see their child suffer. It is heartbreaking. Where our little man stands at this moment, we know that he will require 24/7 care for the rest of his life and this breaks our hearts.

Shalom's Most Recent Medical Emergency

Last year, Shalom got sick with what we initially thought was a stomach bug. He rapidly developed a distended belly and was rushed to the ER.

Shalom’s entire gastrointestinal system had shut down, leaving him unable to tolerate or process any foods or drinks for over a week. He was immediately triaged upon arriving to the ER and transferred to trauma services.

A nasogastric tube was placed to decompress his stomach which had enlarged to 5 times the normal size, enough to compromise his lungs’ expansion and reduce his blood oxygen levels. His other organs were also affected from the limited space his enlarged stomach had caused in his small body.

After a week in the hospital, we were finally discharged; however, other issues with Shalom quickly followed. He began to lose weight to the point of looking emaciated and we were forced to return to the ER. An additional round of specialized labs, testing, and diagnostic studies were carried out revealing his enlarged stomach had been an ongoing issue for years!

The exact cause of Shalom’s enlarged stomach and the subsequent extent of gastrointestinal dysfunction remained unclear. The medical team was unable to provide us with a definitive answer, but because Shalom’s blood work had normalized we were discharged home.

We were left with so many unanswered questions. Fearful and unsure about the health of our child, we continued advocating for answers and proper treatment. We were eventually referred back to the hospital where Shalom was born and spoke with a gastrointestinal surgeon who was our last ray of hope. But again, we were left disillusioned when we were told that nothing could be done in the case of our little boy.

Today, our son not only battles with a severe level of autism, but his persistent gastrointestinal dysfunction is an additional setback and burden to his quality of life. He is constantly hungry and thirsty, which is very concerning because his stomach is predisposed to becoming dangerously enlarged.

Despite his insatiable appetite and increased food intake he does not seem to gain any weight and has even lost muscle mass. This has resulted in his current neurological evaluation for an additional underlying condition aside from autism. This of course, is extremely concerning to us as we just want our baby boy to be healthy.

We believe in the power of prayer and humbly ask that you keep our family in your prayers. We have faith that God will fill our son with his healing power and make our Shalom whole again. This is not about us, but about the livelihood of our lovely Shalom and his quality of life. From the bottom of our hearts, any donation is truly appreciated.

Sincerely,

The Small Family ❤️

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Hola A Todos,

Queremos por este medio llegar hasta ustedes y tocar sus corazones exponiéndoles la situación que estamos viviendo con nuestro hijo adorado Shalom.

Como ya saben, tenemos cuatro hermosos niños que llenan nuestras vidas: Scarlett, Samson, Shalom, y Selah. La historia de Shalom a tocado los corazones de muchos! El a sobrepasado muchos obstáculos desde el momento que nació y la batalla de nuestro hijo aun continúa.

Shalom fue diagnosticado con Autismo a un nivel severo y en estos momentos está bajo una evaluación neurológica, ya que pensamos que presenta con otra condición además de autismo.

Shalom esta actualmente recibiendo terapias pero, lastimosamente hemos visto muy poca mejoría. Esto nos ha llevado a buscar otros medios de tratamientos cómo aquellos a base de células madres. Las células madres pueden ayudar con algunos de los síntomas comunes del autismo como la inflamación gastrointestinal. Niños con autismo comúnmente experimentan inflamación intestinal y niveles deteriorados de oxígeno al cerebro. Las células madres en tal caso pueden ayudar con problemas de agresividad, a normalizar funciones cerebrales y aumentar la independencia en funciones sociales.

Existen muchos beneficios as al usar este modo de tratamiento y cada tratamiento es especializado para cada niño y sus necesidades. El costo depende exclusivamente del tratamiento que es recomendado.

Desafortunadamente, estos tratamientos a base de células madres no están cubiertos por seguro médico y es por eso que estamos pidiendo la ayuda de nuestra comunidad, familia y amigos. Cualquier contribución, no importa la cantidad, hace una gran diferencia! La generosidad de uds ayudará a cubrir los gastos de tratamiento con células madres, gastos de viaje, estadía y terapias continuas para nuestro hijo.

Para aquellos que están interesados en ayudar hacer una diferencia y contribuir positivamente en la vida de nuestro hijo, por favor sigan el link de abajo. Igualmente encontrarán un link de Shalom y su trayectoria, y videos detallando el éxito de células madres en niños autistas.

También estaremos documentando el progreso de nuestro hijo a través de su tratamiento. Sabemos que por ahora no existe una cura para el autismo, pero tenemos fe que esto podrá abrir el camino hacia un futuro lleno de posibilidades. Muchísimas gracias por la atención que le brinden a esta y su futura colaboración.

La Trayectoria Medica de Shalom

Shalom es nuestro milagro. Ha batallado desde que estaba en el vientre. El nació con una condición llamada gastrosquisis. La gastrosquisis es un defecto en el que un orificio en la pared abdominal permite que los intestinos del bebé salgan por afuera de su cuerpo mientras se está formando en el vientre. Shalom nació con sus intestinos, estómago, hígado, y vesícula por fuera de su cuerpo. Cuando nació, Shalom estuvo todo un mes en la unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales.

Normalmente, los niños que nacen con gastrosquisis pueden tener una vida normal pero con nuestro hijo fue algo distinto. Al cumplir los dos años, notamos que el estaba retrasado en el desarrollo normal de un niño de su edad. También fue entonces cuando empezamos a notar otros comportamientos anormales a su edad y fue cuando lo diagnosticaron con autismo.

Shalom ahora tiene cuatro años, no habla y sus síntomas han solo empeorado. Tiene problemas para dormir y todavía depende de los panales. Se golpea si mismo hasta hacer huecos en las paredes de nuestro hogar, lo que nos a obligado varias veces llevarlo al hospital para hacerle radiografías y asegurar que no tenga daños internos. Sus episodios de rabia pueden durar todo el día y tienden a empeorar a través de su crecimiento en la cual seguimos luchando con el.

La Mas Reciente Batalla Medica de Shalom

Shalom a tenido varias complicaciones por las cuales a sido hospitalizado. La más reciente fue donde no pudo procesar alimentos por más de una semana al tener una distensión estomacal más de cinco veces de lo normal para un niño de su edad. Al ocurrir esto, sus niveles de oxígeno habían disminuido por la expansión de sus pulmones estando seriamente limitados. Desde entonces, Shalom continúa perdiendo peso a pesar del tratamiento hecho. Nos hemos quedado con muchas preguntas las cuales los médicos no nos han podido aclarar.

En el intento de aclarar nuestras dudas nos refirieron nuevamente al hospital donde nació Shalom. Allí, hablamos con un cirujano cuya opinión fue que en el caso de nuestro hijo no se podía hacer absolutamente nada. Esto nos destrozó tanto

anímica como moralmente, pero no perdemos la esperanza de que nuestro hijo pueda tener una mejor calidad de vida.

Nosotros somos una familia de fe, cuyo objetivo, es velar por el bienestar de todos. Por eso acudimos a la ayuda de ustedes para que nos tengan presente en sus oraciones y si por favor nos pudieran colaborar con cualquier donación para nuestro hijo. De corazón, estaríamos altamente agradecidos. Bendiciones y gracias por su atención.

Familia Small ❤️