Beloved actor Michael J. Fox has been living with Parkinson's disease for 18 years. Known in the early '80s as Alex P. Keaton on the hit show Family Ties, this Canadian-born actor went on to star in the blockbuster movie Back to the Future. Then, in 1991, something unexpected happened.
Michael was diagnosed with a chronic neurological disorder called Parkinson's disease (PD). When his symptoms worsened and it became harder to disguise the shaking caused by the illness, Michael told the public about his battle. He also became an advocate for stem cell treatment, believing that it could someday put an end to suffering—his own as well as that of others.
Dr. Mehmet Oz appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in March 2009 with Michael J. Fox and used the human brain of a 50-year-old male to demonstrate how stem cells may help cure Parkinson's disease and other chronic illnesses. Dr. Oz showed a section of the brain where lines are not present in a person having Parkinson’s disease. He believes that stem cells could be placed in that area to regenerate the damaged brain; but he noted that scientists are single digit (8-9) years away from being able to treat Parkinson’s and diabetes using stem cells. He is wrong about the date. Placental stem cells are already being used to successfully treat Parkinson’s. More than likely, it is political red tape that keeps the treatment from being approved for use in the U.S. However, placental stem cells derived from placenta (afterbirth)
James Devlin is a resident of Hawaii, but his paradise became a nightmare 15 years ago when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Unwilling to accept the reality of continual mental and physical decline, he sought answers around the world to stop the disease from taking over his brain and his life. His symptoms were the standard Parkinson’s package including stiff muscles, decreased dexterity and coordination, insomnia, memory loss, confusion, and tremors in his arms which made it difficult for him to feed himself. Normal daily activities such as dressing, eating, and writing became increasingly challenging. James was prescribed a long list of medications to manage the increasing number of symptoms. Two and a half years ago, he found the road to recovery from PD at the International Stem Cell Institute (ISCI).
“When I first met Mr. Devlin, he was very stiff and rigid, battling constant tremors as he made his way through the airport,” said Rita Alexander, Executive Director of ISCI. “He returned six months after his first placental stem cell treatment, and he didn’t look like the same man. His body was relaxed, he walked with ease, the excessive tremors were gone, and a big smile replaced the vacant facial expression he had just a few months before.”
Today, after several stem cell treatments, James Devlin has been able to eliminate all Parkinson’s medication and spends his days surfing in paradise. “At 67 years old, I’ve had a 75 percent recovery and fully believe that with additional stem cell treatments I will be in complete remission soon,” declares Mr. Devlin. “I don’t want to think about where I would be today if I hadn’t been fortunate enough to find ISCI.”
Mr. Devlin’s response is not unusual for patients who are treated at the clinic in Mexico, where placental stem cell treatments have been given for cancer, cerebral palsy, dermatomyositis, diabetes, hepatitis C, HIV, immune deficiency, kidney disorders, multiple sclerosis, migraines, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's, retinitis pigmentosa, rheumatoid arthritis, spina bifida, and stroke. Unfortunately, not everyone is physically and financially able to travel to Mexico. That is why Rita Alexander started ISCI. “We wish many more suffering with Parkinson’s disease knew there were stem cell treatments that could change the course of their lives,” states Rita. “We want to help people access treatment that is already available and hope to bring the treatment to the U.S.”
