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Stem Cell News
Mysterious Donation Allows Man to Pay for Stem
Cell Treatment
By Jane Hall, Newcastle Journal, May 8, 2007
A man will now be able to add precious years to his
life with his family thanks to an anonymous donation
of £10,000. Dying from degenerative brain disease, he
can now afford to fly to China for adult stem cell
treatment.
Scott wants to live long enough to see his
two-year-old son George grow up. So he is hoping the
Chinese adult stem cell treatment will help him in his
battle against spinocerebellar ataxia.
Just weeks before the balance was due, Scott was
still about £7,500 shy of making the advance payment.
His wife Louise told The Journal last month that they
needed to raise a total of £14,000.
The anonymous donation came through after a
mysterious benefactor read Scott's story in The
Journal.
There wasn't enough thanks left in Scott's mind
when thinking of just how much the donation has helped
him.
"We are all really touched that a total
stranger would be so generous. It takes the pressure
off and means we can relax a bit knowing for certain
that I will be going to China," he said.
"All the donations we have received have been
greatly appreciated, whether large or small. Every
donation is important."
"Obviously, it is very generous of this person
who doesn't know us, and it has made a big
difference."
"We have been extremely touched by people's
kindness and how interested they are in our lives. It
is nice to know that people care."
"We are continuing to raise funds, however, as
we have discovered my poor state of health means it
will be unlikely I will get insurance cover, so we
will need the extra in case anything untoward
happens."
More than £18,000 have been raised now, this
includes the mysterious £10,000 donation. Any surplus
monies will be donated to support the Ataxia group in
the UK. However, the left over money will first be
invested in case further treatment for Scott's
spinocerebellar ataxia is needed.
Scott is losing his ability to talk and eat. His
coordination is fading as is his vision. He cannot
walk without assistance.
His wife Louise thinks it will only be a short time
before Scott, who began to first show symptoms when he
was 24, will need to be fed via a tube in his stomach.
Louise has given up her work as a primary school
teacher to take care of Scott, and their son George,
full time.
When Scott is asked how in he could travel
thousands of miles to allow doctors who he has never
met to treat him with adult stem cells, he replies,
"this shows how desperate we are."
"This is a last ditch attempt. I love George
and Louise so much that I want to prolong my life. I
so, so desperately want to see George grow up".
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