• The Treatment procedure:
  Stem cells are harvested from the umbilical cordblood of full term healthy babies whose mothers have chosen to donate the cords. These are umbilical cords that would otherwise be medical waste, and would be thrown in to the trash. One umbilical cord provides approximatley 300,000 stem cells. Over ten million stem cells are used for each treatment. These treatments are done both by IV and by injection into the spine. The stem cells would rebuild underdevloped areas such as the optic nerves for Izabelle. Another part of the procedure includes different therapies provided by the staff at the hospital for up to 40 days depending on the number of treatments Izabelle recives.

• About the treatment:

The procedure, which is not approved in the United Kingdom, involves injecting umbilical cord blood stem cells into the patient's bloodstream and spinal canal, according to information from Beike Biotech, a biotechnology company based in Shenzhen, China. The company supplies stem cells at 11 hospitals in China and one in Thailand for cellular therapy for a variety of diseases. The new cells replace diseased or dysfunctional cells with functional ones, according to the company.

After patients receive stem-cell treatment and return home, it is suggested they receive oxygen treatment for 1 1/2 hours a day, five days a week, for one year to help the stem cells progress, Sallee says.

So far, the four children with optic-nerve diseases who have received stem-cell treatment have reported progress, says Kirshner Ross-Vaden, a registered nurse and Chicago-based vice president of foreign patient relations for Beike Biotech. The first treatment began in June.

"No one in the world has attempted to treat it," said Ross-Vaden, adding that 25 children are scheduled to go to China for treatment within the first six months of next year. "It's really amazing. The fact that no one had any hope for their child and literally almost overnight parents who were told their children would never see, have — for the first time in their lives — a realistic option."

Soon after receiving stem-cell treatments, Barlett, who was blind, was able to see light and recognize faces of her family up close, according to the family's online blog

• The Treatment: The treatment approach is a holistic one. We do not only provide patients with stem cell transplants but we also put each patient into a complete custom tailored rehabilitation program. Typically the treatment includes several stem cell transfusions of 10 to 15 million stem cells each over a 20 to 30 day period with rehabilitation approximately 6 days per week (Sundays off). The stem cells are transfused into the patients via the bloodstream (Intravenous Transfusion) and into the Cerebral Spinal Fluid via an Epidural Catheter placed in the lumbar region of the spinal column. With each Stem Cell Transplant we also give the patients a transfusion of Neural Growth Factors to encourage the stem cells to find their targets and transform into new neurons. In addition we also offer our adult clients the opportunity to have a Bone Marrow Transplant during their stay. This involves removing the patients own bone marrow, culturing, expanding and purifying the stem cells from it and then transfusing it back into the patient in two separate transfusions done on different days. This treatment is optional. The rehabilitation program consists of a tailored mix of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Acupuncture, Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS), Functional Manipulation, ADL (Activities of Daily Life) education and Chinese massage. Each client receives a full evaluation by the rehabilitation doctors and specialists upon arrival to the hospital and a custom program is worked out just for you. It is this holistic approach combined with the incredible power of the Stem Cells and Neural Growth Factors that gives our clients the best chance for improvements. Not all of these therapies are right for all patients. During your on-site evaluation you and the rehabilitation specialists will determine what the right mix will be.