Carolyn C. discusses her daughter’s progress after stem cell therapy for periventricular leukomalacia at the Stem Cell Institute in Panama City, Panama. She began walking independently soon after stem cell treatment. She had never taken a step prior to treatment.
Email Update 7 weeks after Holly’s second treatment
Date: Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Subject: Update on Holly Catalano
To: [edited for privacy – Doctors and Staff at Stem Cell Institute]
Hi All!
I am sorry that it has taken me this long to email you!
First, I want to Thank You all from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful gift you have given my family and Holly! You are all truly remarkable miracle workers!
Second, I want to give you an update on Holly. It has been about 7 weeks since our second treatment. When we were in Panama, she started crawling around- about 5 feet then she would collapse- but that a start! When we returned from Panama, she was still crawling a little bit. Her therapists immediately noticed that both of her arms were loser in supination- she was tight in this area before and had even lost some passive range of motion in her left arm. She now has full passive range into supination and some active range on her right arm. Her therapists also noticed an increased functional use of her left arm. Well, about 2 weeks ago, she really took off crawling- she is crawling all around the house, can get into a crawling positon by herself, and plays in crawling now! Tonight for the first time, she went from a crawling to a sitting position by herself and was doing this over and over again! This is huge, as now she can get herself in and out of a sitting position! This is a huge hurdle she just overcame!
Oh and I forgot to mention, that upon our return from Panama, her neurologist was very impressed by her overall decrease in tone and even said that her tone was mild!
We have added a physical therapist to our team who says that Holly will walk without braces or a walker! She did not know Holly pre-stem cells, so all she know is how Holly is now.
I have attached a video of Holly crawling, sitting up, Thanking you, and blowing all of you kisses!
I know I forgot people in this email message, so Cindy- could you please forward to those who I did not have their email addresses. And please, feel free to use this email and the video in any way you want. I have been talking to prospective parents each week-sometimes two a week- as I have been posting our story on cerebral palsy message boards.
Thanks again so much!
Carolyn Catalano