This video was shot in Florida in late 2010. Santoro passed away in November of 2008. If you can't see the picture above or are having trouble viewing the video please click here for some common problems.

Condition Prior to Treatment

At around the age of 52 Santoro began having balance problems. Santoro was diagnosed with Spino Cerebellar Ataxia by the Mayo Clinic in the United States even though no known SCA genetic test proved positive. In 2008, facing a rapid decline in his condition, he traveled with his son, Joe, to Qingdao to receive umbilical cord stem cell transplants toward the treatment of Ataxia.

Treatment in China

Santoro received 8 transplants of umbilical cord blood stem cells. He also received daily physical therapy, acupuncture, electrical stimulation and fire-cupping.

Condition Following Treatment

Joe tells us that his father's condition had deteriorated to the point that "it was progressing exponentially" after their return from China. While they saw improvements in some of his father's symptoms during therapy, his overall rate of decline had already become too fast to halt. While Ataxia is not known to have such a rapid progression, Multiple System Atrophy does lead to rapid degeneration.

During therapy Santoro saw days where his dizziness was gone, a symptom that had ridden him every day since the onset of the disease. Joe says "you may still have physical deterioration, but at least you're not dizzy."