Fonte: Breaking News

Numa história tão doce quanto as bebidas que ela está vendendo, cada copo que Brianna Bermudez de 8 anos vende de sua limonada vai para a arrecadação de fundos para o tratamento com células tronco de seu irmão num hospital parceiro da Beike Biotechnology na China.

“Eu fiz pra ele porque ele precisa de uma operação,” disse a garotinha.
 
O irmão de Brianna, Bryce Mastrototaro de 8 anos, tem Hipoplasia do Nervo Ótico (HNO) e atualmente é considerado legalmente cego visto que sua condição resulta em um subdesenvolvimento do nervo ótico que interfere na transmissão de sinais visuais para seu cérebro.

The stem cell therapy Bermudez and her family seek to raise money for has been performed successfully in China but is currently unavailable in the United States because the current regulatory structure there treats many forms of adult stem cells as a drug while in the China it is seen as a clinical procedure which is regulated closely but does not require the hundreds of millions of dollars to bring it to market. 
 
“He’s not had a good road,” Michelle Mastrototaro, mother of Bryce and Brianna, said. “He’s a happy baby, he’s a pleasure. He listens for you because he can’t see you and then you touch him and he gets so happy.”

Bryce’s grandmother, Debbie Semis, has also remained vigilant in the search for a cure as she scours the internet, using sites like stemcellschina.com to collect information and connect with others who have undergone stem cell procedures in China.

“God opens avenues,” Semis said. “I’m always researching because I know there’s an answer.”

Hospitals partnered with Beike Biotechnology have made use of umbilical cord blood stem cells to combat ONH and restore vision to levels allowing patients to drive a car and live normal, sight-enriched lives. It is important to note that here that just like with all medical procedures, different levels of improvements are reported by the patients but treatemnts for many ONH patients have been dramatic and reported widely in the press.

While the lemonade stand venture rolls on, the family is also pursuing a variety of fundraising options with hopes of making the trip overseas as soon as possible.

Read more about Bryce’s story at

www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/30/girl-restoring-brothers-sight-1-cup-time/news-breaking/