Jenna Frenette

15 years old, USA

Septo-Optic Dysplasia

Watch her video on Vimeo here

Medical History

Jenna was born with Septo-Optic Dysplasia, a congenital disease characterized by an underdeveloped septum and optic nerve which often causes vision impairment and hormonal imbalances. In Jenna's case, she has to take growth hormone every day and she has minimal visual perception, only being able to differentiate between light and dark. 
Jenna's doctors in the USA could offer no treatments for her visual impairment, her mom, Lisa, explains how they decided to come to China,

"We just happened to be watching the news one night, and another couple that was here in Minnesota was raising funds for their child who was 5 and had the same eye condition that Jenna did. And they were on on the news, they were raising money to go to china. So I researched it for about a year and then I contacted Beike.


"I did my research quite well before I even would have considered it. I never wanted Jenna to be any kind of experiment what so ever and I had to have legitimate proof to me that this was going to be something that was going to help her."

Treatment in China

Jenna received 6 umbilical cord blood stem cell injections. She also received physical therapy, occupational therapy, electric wave therapy, and acupuncture.


Condition after Treatment

Jenna began seeing changes in her vision while she was in China. Her mom describes how she noticed improvements while talking with Jenna over Skype,


"I could see visual changes in Jenna. I could see her eyes holding steadier just while talking to her using Skype." 


More changes were awaiting Lisa after Jenna came home,

"But when she got home the biggest thing that we noticed was that when she would walk, how fast her pace had picked up, what a straight line she could do instead of looking like a bumper ball. Even with her cane, she used to bounce off stuff and now she walks straighter. 

"And dressing, It used to take 10 to 15 minutes for her to get dressed during the day. A shower would take 20-25. After she came back her getting dressed was down to 5 to 10 minutes. Even for a swimsuit to go swimming it was 5 to 10 minutes, and she is done flat out the door."

We went to the mall and we were walking along with her and all of a sudden she would say, "I want to go into this store". And she would turn right into the store. She could never do that before because she didn't know that the entry was there!"

Lisa has this advice for any other parents thinking of bringing their children to China for stem cell treatment,

"Every parent has to make the choice for their child. But there isn't anything more rewarding than the first time your child says, "Oh, I can see you" or "Oh gosh, that's what that looks like.

"So if you are seriously thinking about it, and you seriously think it it is something you can give your child. I recommend it 100%."