I was going to work on a more elaborate update but I believe the story today
of Millie Kondracke's progress (see below) speaks volumes....so I am just passing on
some concise and limited new information concerning the situation with Dr.
Garg's Therapy and our desire for an operating clinic SOON....Marie
"yesterday is gone...the future is going to be whatever it is going to
be...so what are we going to do with our greatest gift - the present?"

CLINIC REQUIREMENTS:

Floor plan to accommodate an MRI, a CT, 2-Operating Rooms, and a Cord Cell
Laboratory, all interconnected on the first floor (5,000 sq ft), because MRI
alone weighs 4 metric tons.  This layout is not found in any existing
medical facilities in the USA today.  The second floor (5,000 sq ft) will
have BMT and patient units.

There is a free standing empty building (first floor 7,300 sq ft; the
basement 5,600 sq ft), on 2 acres in Allentown, PA, (owned by a now retired
orthopedic surgeon).  But, anywhere (with a favorable demography) in the
States is okay.

MEDICAL FACTS:

Cord Cells (distinctly different from embryonic/fetal/other stem cells
derived from places other than the discarded umbilical cord, after delivery)
used are fresh (not frozen or stored) as collected by the clinic's own
technician, as per requirements and according to AABB criteria.

The cord cells are separated, processed and cultured to functional nerve
cells, which are deposited, as guided by stereotactic MRI imaging, in the
brain stem for Parkinson's (or, other targeted areas for other disease
conditions).

A brain cooling procedure (without using blood circulation) is implemented
to allow for subsequent transient swelling during transplantation.  (This
unique concept and technology has been developed by Dr. Garg, alone).

Return to normal activity in all cases during the 12 month period, following
each procedure.  No side effects, complication, morbidity or mortality
noted.  Further information is available at NPF:
www.parkinson.org/umbilstemcells.htm

DR. GARG'S BACKGROUND:

Shortly after High School in New Delhi (where he was born), he left India at
age 19, as an exchange undergraduate student at the University of
Pittsburgh, PA.  He became a naturalized US citizen in the 70s, at San
Antonio, TX. He obtained MD from the State University of New York (SUNY)
Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, NY; and PhD from SUNY-Health
Science Center at Stony Brook, Long Island, NY.  Post-graduate training in
MD, IL, PA.  He took a 2-year sabbatical leave, as a consultant in Europe
and Asia in 2001, where he performed clinical translation in patients, after
R&D of cord cell therapy in the United States.  After the sabbatical leave,
he is back in the States, where he hopes to start a neurological clinic
which is to perform routine procedures, as well as the innovative methods he
has developed to help patients suffering from various neurological
conditions (PD, ET, MS, Stroke, etc).

From:  Callie Marie Judd   ([log in to unmask])

Date: Mon, 08 Dec 2003 23:23:49 -0000
   From: "Terry Bowers" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: In Our Thoughts

Dear Fellow Group Member,

In this Yuletide season it saddens me greatly to pass along the 
following letter written by Morton Kondrake. As many of you know I 
come to the foray of Regenerative Medicine in General and more 
specifically stem cell therapies from a very selfish point-of-view, 
for you see, I am a Parkinson's patient. Mort's book "Saving Milly" 
was one of the first Parkinson's books I read after my diagnoses, and 
to this day I still consider it required reading. But I digress, 
here's  Mort...

"Before I begin what is necessarily an unhappy report on 
Milly's Parkinsonism, I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone 
who has written us over the past three years since the publication of 
Saving Milly to express sympathy and encouragement. And, since the 
volume of mail has been so enormous, I need to apologize to all those 
I have not been able to respond to personally. I'm deeply thankful 
for their thoughts and prayers.

For those not acquainted with Milly (Millicent Martinez 
Kondracke), before being diagnosed with Parkinson's 16 years ago, she 
was a powerful, magnetic, irresistible woman - a psychotherapist by 
calling - about whom one of her friends said, 'Everyone becomes a 
better person because of Milly' Her spirit and faith were sorely 
shaken by the diagnosis, since she had counseled PD patients and 
their families. Nevertheless, she continued to work and be a loving 
mother, wife, friend - and Parkinson's activist -throughout her 
affliction. Two years ago, PAN bestowed a Udall Award upon her and 
named its annual activist-of-the year award 'the Milly.'

Milly is one of about 1O percent of PD victims suffering from 
a 'Parkinson's-plus' syndrome, probably a variety of Multi System 
Atrophy. About five years after diagnoses, she began to lose her 
sense of balance. She has been confined to a wheelchair since 1994. 
She got less-than-normal benefit from most PD medicines. Neither a 
pallidotomy nor implantation of deep brain stimulants helped her 
condition. Over time, she lost her ability to speak or swallow.

Milly detested the idea of becoming dependent and for years 
vowed to end her own life before becoming totally disabled. Yet when 
the time came to decide whether to accept a feeding tube, she chose 
to do so and to remain living. Thanks to the attention of people at 
our church, a measure of her religious faith was restored. However, 
she also completed a living will providing that no heroic measures 
were to be taken to keep her alive.

For a time after she stopped being able to speak, we 
communicated by computer or letter board.  Two years ago, she lost 
the ability to spell. About that time, a PET scan showed that 
metabolic activity was severely diminished not only 'in the basil 
ganglia, but in every part of her brain.  We communicated for awhile 
by my asking questions that she could answer by raising one finger 
for 'Yes' and two for 'No.' Now, she is unable to do that either. 
Even after receiving the feeding tube, she loved Godiva white 
chocolate and white chocolate ice cream but this spring she began 
choking on a small piece of candy, so I and her caregivers had to 
stop allowing treats.

I fear we are approaching a grim final chapter. Milly is 
comfortable and seems utterly serene, but she can only move her 
forehead and open her eyes. Friends, our daughters, the caregivers 
and I talk to her, but we cannot be sure what she understands.  Her 
brain is not regulating either sodium retention or her body 
temperature well. She is now in home hospice care. I do not know how 
much time is left. I am so very sorry to have to deliver this report. 
We appreciate your prayers."

Sobering isn't it? I can only hope I show the same courage Milly has.

And to all of the Pundits who would argue against ALL forms of 
regenerative medicines I ask you to please sit quietly and discern 
what is in your heart. This is not an isolated affair, real people, 
real families of untold tens-of-thousands are facing this same 
scenario. And it repeats itself over and over again. Do you really 
mean to cause such horrific suffering? God help us all if you do.

Seasons Greetings,


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