Mum aims to raise £40k for treatment of blind daughter

A MOTHER whose daughter was born blind is determined to raise up to £40,000 to fund radical and controversial stem cell treatment for her in China.

Tia Aitken, from Bathgate, hopes to take her daughter Taylor Johnson to Beike Biotech in the city of Shenzhen to undergo the treatment which is not available in the UK.

Doctors originally said that Taylor, who suffers from septo-optic dysplasia, an underdevelopment of the optic nerve, and diabetes, had delayed visual maturation.

They only realised Taylor was completely blind when she was diagnosed with meningitis at four-and-a-half months old.

The 14-month-old also suffers from adrenal suppression, a condition which has left her prone to bugs and rapidly becoming unwell.

Miss Aitken, 21, said she and partner Lloyd, 37, were devastated when they were told that Taylor's condition could not be treated, but soon began research into the controversial stem cell treatment.

She said: "I followed the stories of seven children, aged one to four, who all had stem cell treatment. They all had successes, whether it was partial recovery or full recovery.

"Other people have had miracles. We're hoping for a miracle for Taylor."

The treatment, which is currently only available in China, Mexico and India, would involve the youngster undergoing a lumbar puncture to the spine, along with a variety of additional treatments, including physiotherapy.

The couple have also taken encouragement from the case of Skyler Goodwin, a blind two-year-old from Arizona who was unable to walk until she underwent 36 days of stem cell treatment at a clinic in China.

After the treatment, her sight improved and she began to be able to walk.

Miss Aitken said she hopes the treatment may help improve the quality of her daughter's life. She said: "She has adrenal suppression and she gets bugs really easily because she doesn't have enough cortisol and she has seizures.

"It's possible that the treatment could help with that, too.

"We're going to be doing bag packing, bake sales and we're looking at doing a bungee jump next year. We're determined and we're just going to keep at it. If we don't make the target we'll set another one."

Miss Aitken said that the reaction from her doctors was mixed, with some showing scepticism and others suggesting it was worth trying.

Ben Sykes, executive director of the UK National Stem Cell Network, warned: "Stem cell-based treatments available in other countries such as China, Mexico and India are very likely to be unregulated and untested in the way that conventional medicines and stem cell-based treatments are controlled and tested in the UK."Many purported treatments available overseas are only available through private clinics at significant expense and it is clear that some providers are motivated by finance and may effectively be using patients as human guinea pigs.

"We wish to see properly tested stem cell-based therapies available on the NHS in the earliest possible timeframe, and not prematurely in the private sector for a few to take an unknown risk."

To donate, visit http://miss taylorjohnson.wetpaint.com