Stem Cell therapy helps paralyzed woman walk

South Korean woman overjoyed at her progress.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/041128/1/3ovex.html
from JoeUser Forums
These are heady days indeed.

A South Korean woman, who was paralyzed and bed-ridden for 20 years, was given a new lease on life and mobility through the use of Stem Cell therapy. After receiving an injection of stem cell into her spine, she was able to walk with the help of a walking frame(I assume there was a lot of physiotherapy between the treatment and the presentation in which she walked), which seemed to be the kind of results the late Christopher Reeve was looking for.

However, the catalyst for her recovery was not embryionic stem cells which have a long history of controversy(and some medical side effects) but rather stem cells from umbilical cord blood, which doesn't carry the same moral issues. In looking up more information on this issue, one of the sources I discovered that had a positive reaction to this development was the head of the Illinois Right to Life Committee, who doubted that the major news media would cover this story. I quote: "Will you see any coverage of this amazing success in the major media? Are they willing to cover a stem cell success that is not politically correct because it did not require use of embryonic stem cells?", which I think is a little too cynical, but then again, I haven't seen anyone really talking about this on the news either.

However, if this success is verified, I have a feeling that this type of research will be ongoing and we will be hearing more success stories soon from other institutions.
10,093 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Neat story. Thanks for sharing it, history.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I thought it was a really good story too... and if its in the medical realm, I generally steer away from it, but with some of the political implications of this treatment, I thought it was worth sharing.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
It's pretty amazing, and you're right on about the political implications. I hope a lot of people will take note of this thread.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Perhaps they will... or perhaps it will sink to the bottom like a lot of my threads lately(a lot of my shine has rubbed off since the computer crash/flu)
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Heh. JU is fickle, eh? I still think you're brilliant, anyway.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Well, I think #3 suits you better than it did me
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ugh. How did I even get there? I noticed that something I wrote and didn't even post to the forums is on the top articles right now. Heh. If I wrote something that I wanted everyone to read, no one would bite. Makes no sense. But such is life, eh?
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've learned the longer I work on something, the worse the reaction to it... which is sad really....
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yup. It is sad. I enjoy your stuff, though sometimes it's a bit over my head intellectually.

You know about the number three curse, right? Did your computer problem and flu happen while you were number three?
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yep! and I know that Mig/Gideon and Dharma fell pray to the #2/3 rule too.