Stem cell injections for Caila

As many of you know, Caila Nagel was the passenger in a car that was tragically struck by a drunk driver on May 6, 2020. She suffered many injuries including several broken ribs, multiple spinal fractures, a fracture to her right clavicle and a broken left clavicle, and she also had a laceration to her spleen. However, the worst injuries she sustained was a laceration to the left side of her head requiring 15 staples, along with a severe Traumatic Brain Injury. She remained unresponsive and in a coma for nearly two months. When she began to emerge out of the coma, doctors and nurses alike were in complete awe and disbelief. She remained in the hospital for 106 days unable to have any visitors except for her parents. She worked hard in physical, occupational and speech therapy during her inpatient stay and she continues to excel in each of these therapies multiple days each week on an outpatient basis. Though she has made tremendous progress and improvements thus far, she is still confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk or perform daily tasks on her own. She still has a long road of recovery ahead and the family has been researching alternative types of treatment which may be beneficial for Caila’s recovery.

We have met with a physician who specializes in Allograft Stem Cell Therapy and we are hopeful that this therapy would be beneficial to Caila’s continued recovery. For those of you who are not familiar with stem cell treatment, they are undifferentiated cells that have the unique potential of regeneration and differentiation into different types of cells. They act like a repair system replacing cells and tissue lost due to injury or disease. Now it is an experimental treatment and it can’t be positioned as a cure for anything, but our hope is and we anticipate that the anti-inflammatory and regenerative capabilities of these treatments could have a beneficial impact on whatever is causing Caila’s current symptoms. In Caila’s case we would know if something inflammatory is happening that this treatment would lessen the effects of the inflammation or if there is a regenerative process that is taking place in Caila, this treatment would also support and enhance that process.

As you can imagine, stem cell therapy can be extremely costly and we are looking into raising funds in order for Caila to begin this treatment as soon as possible. Her physician has informed the family that she would be able to receive up to three treatments if they are beneficial, which would cost them around $4,000 for each treatment. (Believe it or not this is highly discounted, as her physician is a family friend). Her doctor should be able to determine fairly quickly if the first treatment benefits her or not. If the first treatment is beneficial, at that time they will determine if additional treatments are required and necessary. If the first treatment does not benefit Caila, they will not continue to do the therapies after her first treatment.

The family is very thankful for the continued prayers and support as they navigate through this difficult journey.