Rayanna Seffens

Age 3, USA

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2

We'd like to thank Ronda Seffens for providing StemCellsChina with this Patient Experience.

Reason for Coming for Treatment

Rayanna suffers from a genetic neuro-muscular disease named Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2.  This is a devastating disease where she is only expected to live between the ages of 15 and 30.  Each case is so different that it is hard to give a closer time frame.  Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a progressive disease, where the  motor axons die, so the muscles in her body will not get the signal from the brain to move.  She will eventually lose the ability to breathe on her own and muscles used to swallow are effected.  There is currently no treatment in the US to slow the progression of SMA.  The reason for the stem cell treatment is to possibly slow the progression of the disease.

Course of Treatment

5 IVs stem cell transplants and 1 Spinal

Condition After the Treatment

Rayanna started to show small improvements after the first treatment.  First she could bear weight on her legs without any type of brace for support.  She had never done this before.  Then she began to show better body balance.  Rayanna gained better head control and was able to pick it up once again without the use of her arms.  She doubled her muscle strength all over before we left the hospital.

 Patients Condition Today

Rayanna is still continuing to improve.  We sought treatment on  the possible chance that the stem cells would slow the progression of SMA. We left with so much more than we thought we would get. Today Rayanna is able to walk, with the assistance of her walker and AFOs, for 40 feet without the need for a rest. After the rest, she can return to where she started. She actually has muscle tone in her legs, for the first time ever. She continues to stand without the use of braces. Before we left, we had to use knee immobilizers for her to bear weight on her legs. She will be receiving her manual wheelchair in a couple of weeks. We are so excited that she can propell herself now. She is crawling around 5 reps at a time before a rest. She hasn't been able to crawl for the past 1 1/2 years.  She has better balance and will actually reach across her body now.  Rayanna has more energy than she has ever had.  The look on her face every time she does something she has never been able to do, is priceless.  She has even made it off of the bed to a standing position by herself.  Rayanna's doctors are all so amazed at what the stem cells have done for her.