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Youngster Looks to China for Better Sight |
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Tuesday, 15 July 2008 |
Source: Branson Daily News
By Donna Clevenger
GALENA — When 6-year-old Glen Jimerson, of Galena, was born, he suffered damage to his optic nerve, making him legally blind.
This week, the youngster and his mother, Tiffany Fancher, head to the other side of the world with the hope of being given normal vision.
Last year, Fancher heard the words, “There’s nothing we can do,” after a final eye exam by Dr. Stacy Bowling at Ozarks Family Vision Centre in Branson.
The final diagnosis — optic nerve hypoplasia — came after many tests from December 2007 to March. ONH refers to underdevelopment of the optic nerve, which transmits vision signals from the eye to the brain.
Fancher refused to accept her son would be blind for life and began a search that took her all the way to China where treatment involving stem cell implantation is an approved and practiced procedure.
The treatment costs $24,000, and without help, Glen would not have the expectation of improved sight before he attends the first grade at Galena Elementary School in August.
Jimerson and his family are on their way to China, because Stone County Commissioner George Cutbirth heard about the youngster’s plight and decided something needed to be done.
The Crane and Galena communities, with some nudging from Cutbirth and his family, rallied a lot of people — nearly 400 — together for a benefit, barbeque and auction.
Many items for the auction, as well as food, were donated by the concerned community.
Taney County Western Commissioner Ron Herschend heard about the benefit from Cutbirth, donated and then cooked all the meat for the barbeque.
“If it weren’t for George, none of this would have happened. I’m just excited they’re going to be able to go,” Herschend said.
“It’s an honor to help folks — it’s seeing their faces.”
In a letter from Fancher to Herschend, she expressed gratitude for their efforts, “I feel like you are an angel from heaven to help us, and you did a wonderful job with everything,” she wrote.
A total of $40,000 was raised through individual donations, the meal and donated auction items that will send Jimerson, his mother and stepfather, Shawn Fancher, on their way.
The treatment, infusion of umbilical cord stem cells, will take 31 days. After each of the two injections, Jimerson will have to lie still in bed for 24 hours. He’ll then have four spinal injections.
Officials said the stem cells will travel to the optic nerve and cause it to grow to maturity.
“He’s a little scared,” Fancher said.
Fancher said Bowling was the first optometrist to be totally honest about an assessment of Glen’s sight. Shortly after that last exam, she found an article in the Ozark Electric Cooperative newsletter about a girl with ONH receiving the treatment in China.
“Once he’s treated, it will take about a year for the complete effect of the treatment,” Fancher said. “He should notice some improvement after the second injection.”
Fancher said she was also a bit apprehensive about going to a foreign country.
She said, as far as she knows, the hospital where Jimerson will be treated doesn’t cook and serve any meals. She and her husband will need to go out and find food. The youngster will also be able to keep in contact with the rest of his family.
“Glen is very attached to his Granny, so they’re going to have a Web cam,” Fancher said. “He’ll be able to see her every day. I know it will be really different — it’ll be worth it, if he can see.”
Fancher will be giving updates on Jimerson’s progress, blogging on www.stemcellschina.com/blog/glenjimerson , daily.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 16 July 2008 )
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