WARNING...THIS IS LONG!

I am writing President Bush and Vice President Cheney a letter...I've never done anything like that before, but once your life is affected by politics, I have to admit, it's interesting how intense you can feel about something...I am talking about cord blood stem cell transplants. I am educating myself on the topic, and before anyone freaks out, they are umbilical cords donated by families of full term healthy babies, NOT aborted fetuses.

If you've recently had a baby or are currently pregnant, you have been sent fliers in the mail regarding saving your child's umbilical cord for future use or donation. Because it's so new, most of us, including myself, have overlooked the "need" and have opted out of the option. You see, the FDA and many doctors only believe that hUCSC transplants help with leukemia and some forms of anemia. That is just the beginning...in other countries there has been great documented success using cord blood stem cells for many other ailments. In fact, an expert in the field, Dr. Steenblock (book, Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy, The Gift of Healing from Healthy Newborns) recently met with the President and informed him of the great results they have had with these transplants in people, especially children, with cerebral palsy, early stage ALS, some forms of MS, and even leukodystrophies (which is what they think Noah has, though one that has not yet been discovered). Bush was encouraged, though frustrated because his cabinet had not shared this information with him.

People who are not doing the research have lumped these transplants with controversial embryonic stem cell transplants. This is just not the case! Obviously Jason and I would not want another child sacrificed by abortion so our child could live…Heaven is a much better place. So, like I said, I'm writing a letter because Jason and I are considering this procedure for Noah since no one else here in the US can do anything for him. Now, please know my heart, I'm not going to rant at the President, express my political stance, or claim that I ever want to be in their positions of power...I pray for them...leading a nation is likely a very trying job (*understatement*). I’m writing because this may entail a trip across the border…The fact that this kind of transplant is approved in the US for only two ailments, neither of which is a leukodystrophy, is frustrating and so limited in thinking because it is a simple procedure, but taking Noah on a private jet with a medical team…that’s the main risk!

The “transplant” is like a blood transfusion, of which he has had three, and it is administered through his PICC line. It’s approved in the US. Our insurance could cover it if people making rules would do the research…He could just have this done 5 miles from his house in his hospital bed…

We usually take an annual trip to Mexico, either for missions or for a little R&R, and the next one, I told Jason, I wanted the kids to come along…we just didn’t think we’d be the ones going along with Noah, AND, how sad to have to leave our soil…the land of "freedom"…Anyway, I encourage you to do some research of your own on this topic if you are one that is anti-stem cell research. There is an alternative to embryonic stem cells and it lies in trash cans of delivery rooms across the nation. We actually did donate Noah’s cord to the UCHSMC for a diabetes screen. His own cord wouldn’t have helped him in this case, though, that’s why it’s a “transplant”.

Two months ago I had a feeling that Noah would need something radical done with his blood, one, because of a scripture that was given to me from someone and two, because of research I had done regarding a theory I have…When I asked the docs here about it they said the only treatment would be a total blood exchange and you can’t just opt for a total blood exchange, IvIG or plasmapheresis. Okay, but you don’t know what’s wrong with him. It may help him! Treating him like hospice...No thanks! God brought Noah into this world for a purpose. He’s alive. He’s stable. He just isn’t walking in abundant health YET! He will and when he does, I pray it will change the face of medicine forever! Noah is not just 1 in 5 billion. There are a lot of children that are sick, that die without the docs ever knowing why…I pray that his little life will impact the lives of so many other children fighting for theirs.