"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" Ephesians 3:20-21
Research Updates
In Dr. Davis' research, she purifies umbilical cord blood cells, a type of stem cell free of the ethical controversy, and uses them to treat mice that have the same genetic abnormality as the children with Sanfilippo. Umbilical cord blood cells are harvested from the cord that would be discarded after the birth of a child. There is no harm to the baby or the mother and the mother is able to give consent to the donation. As an organization, we do not support embryonic stem cell research. God has provided this alternate source of stem cells that do not require compromising our beliefs about that topic. The USF team has successfully treated mice with Sanfilippo causing significant improvements in their condition. Our family was able to visit the University and observe the research firsthand in August, 2009. It was an exciting time to see the work that your efforts have helped pay for. While Dr Garbuzova-Davis continues her work, she is also applying for permission of the FDA to move forward with human trials. No one yet knows how long this process will take, but we are hopeful that the progress she has made can be offered to children affected with Sanfilippo in the near future. Of course, with medical research, there are no guarantees that the treatments will be approved by the FDA or will be successful in the children. We believe that God is involved in this situation and He is not intimidated by the FDA or the daunting task of curing this disease. Please pray for His will regarding the following items:
- God’s timetable for this whole process: We obviously want to start quickly but need to be willing to wait on Him
- Successful application to the FDA
- Clinical neurologist or neurosurgeon to help administer treatment to the children
- Proper selection of children for the trial
- Funding available to provide the treatment to the children who need it
- Successful treatment for the children
- God’s provision for their families regardless of the outcome of the treatment
Thank you for helping make our research process possible with your prayers and financial support.