P A T I E N T  E X P E R I E N C E  -  M S

NAME: Betty Helm 

COUNTRY: Louisiana, USA

AGE: 57

DIAGNOSIS: Relapse-Remitting MS, diagnosed in May 2000

REASON FOR COMING FOR TREATMENT: An MRI scan taken after an accident Betty suffered in 2000 revealed that she had MS. She had probably had the disease for some time, but the symptoms were not severe. She decided to have treatment as soon as possible to prevent her condition from worsening in the future. She hoped to regain some of her strength and stamina, to improve her eyesight, and also regain some feeling sensation in the right hand side of her body.

TREATMENT: Umbilical Cord Stem Cell and Nerve Growth Factor Injections with Rehabilitation Therapy

START OF TREATMENT: May 16, 2007

FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO: Interviews

BEFORE THE TREATMENT:

Betty had optic nerve damage, and so on some days her eyesight was impaired. She had double vision (when looking to the left), and a twitch in her right eye. She had several problems with the right side of her body. She had no feeling sensation on the right side of her face. If she walked too far or exerted herself too much, her right leg became numb and heavy, to the extent that she could not lift it. She had poor balance as well, adding to the problems she had walking. She also had severe difficulty coping with heat.

See videos: Intro1 , Intro2 , Walking

AFTER THE TREATMENT:

The day after her first injection, Betty awoke to find that she had recovered the feeling sensation on the right side of her face. That day, she walked four times further than she had been able to walk the previous day before tiring. As the treatment progressed, her walking and balance continued to improve. By the end of her treatment, Betty could walk much greater distances than before, and with greater ease. She could walk up stairs carrying bags of shopping whereas before treatment she needed constant support or she would fall. She now had normal feeling sensation in the right side of her body. Her double vision had resolved, and her right eye no longer twitched. She had much more energy than before, and felt like her 'old self' again.

VIDEOS:

Treatment:

May 19 (two days after first injection): Feeling , Stamina

May 23: Walking

May 28: Walking

May 31: Walking , Stairs , Balance Ball

June 4: Walking , Stairs

June 6: Stretching

Interviews:

Betty's daughter, Veronica: Treatment in China , Improvements , Other Patients

Betty: Physio , Walking , Improvements , Service , Flip-flops

PHOTOS:

UPDATE: Scans from the Southeast News community newsletter: