Laura's Story

by Laura Jackson
Livonia, Mich.

I learned a life lesson three years ago at age 14. I will never forget. After waking up in the hospital and not being able to move or breathe, I knew my life might never be the same. Laying in my hospital bed, the doctors came in and told me I was paralyzed from my neck down and would never be able to move or breathe on my own again.

I began to cry and thought there had to be a cure; I couldn 't stay like this forever. My father and I started researching and looking for a cure, a treatment, anything that would improve my quality of life.

We had heard of stem cell research but never understood the significance of it or how it could help thousands or possibly millions of people with various diseases. Unfortunately, while learning about the unique promise of stem cells we also learned about the many restrictions that exist in the United States. Knowing that there wasn't any hope in the United States, we were forced to look in other countries.

We searched and searched and finally came across a surgery in China that was using OEG cells. The surgery was showing significant improvements. Luckily, Dr. Huang was visiting Michigan soon. After meeting him and most of his Michigan patients, my dad decided getting the surgery would help me.

A year later, we flew to China. The flight was 20 hours long and uncomfortable. We waited a week and I had the surgery. I was a little scared because the hospitals didn 't have all of the amenities I needed. A week later I was finally able to get out of bed and I noticed a difference right away. I was able to breath on my own for 15 minutes. Before the surgery I tried to breath on my own several times but would run out of breath in about thirty seconds and needed my ventilator. After a year and a half of never being able to breath, 15 minutes was a relief. I also noticed much more movement in my neck and shoulders.

When I arrived back home in Michigan, I started physical therapy about five days a week. I gained muscles in my neck and shoulders that I hadn 't had since before my accident. I now had more independence; I didn 't have to worry about running out of breath or about getting dizzy from my head falling. Something many people take for granted, like breathing, made me feel one step toward being myself again.

Still in physical therapy, and starting to hit a plateau, I wondered what would come next. Now — at the age of 17 — and still hoping that something will change in the near future, I continue to work hard at keeping a healthy body so when there finally is a cure, I will be ready.

I'm optimistic and looking forward to the day I will be able to brush my own teeth, throw a football to my sisters and talk a long time with my family.