[BobbyB]

Stem cell man back from China
By Ben Frampton



Michael Emms and mum Teresa
A GWENT man who suffers from motor neurone disease is home after his first course of stem cell treatment in China.

Michael Emms, 20, of Caerwent, who is the youngest sufferer of the disease in the UK, flew out to Shenyang at the beginning of December for his first stint of the ground breaking treatment after his family and friends helped raise around £49,000 in less than three months to help pay for the treatment.

This type of treatment has not been approved in the UK due to the questions raised over its effectiveness.

After Mr Emms' father's partner, Joanna Stanley, gave birth at the end of September, stem cells were taken from the umbilical cord of the young man's half-brother Rhys and frozen at the Virgin Health bank in London.

Originally, the plan was to use the stem cells from Rhys, but when the family arrived in China, doctors at the hospital said they didn't want to use stem cells that had been frozen and fresh stem cells from the umbilical cords from other babies from around the world were used instead.

While in China, Mr Emms under went five weeks of treatment, including stem cells being inserted into his spinal cord and via an IV drip, as well as having bone marrow filtration treatment, which involved the removal and cleaning of his bone marrow.

In addition to his treatment, Mr Emms was having acupuncture daily, with needles inserted in his back, ankles and wrists and two physiotherapy sessions a day.

Mr Emms' mother, Teresa Emms, 41, of Highfield, Caerwent, said: "It was very intense, he had acupuncture every day to help get his muscles and nerves up and running.

"The hospital was amazing, they were wonderful, luckily we had interpreters that meant the language barrier was solved."

The trip cost around £22,000, leaving enough for additional treatment in the future.

Mr Emms and his family returned to the UK on January 5 and now have to wait between four and six months for the stem cells to take effect before the possibility of returning to China for a further five week treatment if required.

Mrs Emms added: "He's very tired, it was very intensive for five weeks and he was hospitalised, his mobility is not brilliant at the moment - being hospitalised, he wasn't doing a lot of walking. We've only been back a week and he's already improving, we're pleased about that."

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/mos...from_china.php

Disease breaks down muscle control
MOTOR neurone disease is a progressive condition which breaks down the nerve cells which control muscle activity. MND affects around 5,000 people in the UK and is most common in people aged 50-70. Mr Emms was first diagnosed in December 2006 by a specialist at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital after pains in his knees, thought to be from an old roller blading accident, spread through his arms and legs.


10:22am Friday 18th January 2008