Crowdfunding to the rescue for this cancer patient – Daijiworld.com

By Siddhi Jain

New Delhi, Jul 30 (IANSlife): Cancer takes innumerable lives each year, and so does the unavailability of cancer treatment due to lack of funds. 33-year-old Nushafreen Palsetia, a software engineer based in Mumbai, was recently diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. Despite a relapse, what helped was life-saving support pouring from over 1,700 donors.

Nushafreen was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in April 2019. After a year of enduring aggressive treatment, she tried to get back to her normal life and work. Unfortunately, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), cancer relapsed in her liver in May 2020 which was an unexpected major shock, leaving her and all of her family overwhelmed.

Doctors planned to perform an autologous (her own stem cells) bone marrow transplant in India after the chemotherapy but further tests showed involvement of the bone marrow as well. Hence, her treating doctor recommended the modern CAR-T Cell therapy treatment, available only in the USA, UK, Israel, and a few European countries.

Nushafreen's family found Israel as the most affordable option as compared to all other countries offering the treatment. They reached out to Sheba Medical Centre in Israel which estimated the medical expenses as 200,000 USD (approximately Rs 1.5 crore). The treatment will require Nushafreen to be hospitalized for a month or more for the response to treatment and immediate follow up.

As Nushafreen's family couldn't afford the high medical expenses, an ImpactGuru crowdfunding campaign was initiated. In two weeks, Nushafreen's ImpactGuru.com Page has raised over Rs 1 crore from 1750 donors. The platform raises money online for medical expenses via crowdfunding such as cancer, transplants, and accidents.

According to the co-founder and CEO of the healthcare crowdfunding platform, Piyush Jain, "Crowdfunding is driven by a culture of generosity, it allows people to raise money quickly in a hassle free manner without any payback liability. This is a new record for our platform with a single patient's family being able to raise more than Rs 1 crore. We hope Nushafreen recovers soon and more patients come forward to utilize our platform in their time of need to get the best available treatment for critical illnesses."

Excerpt from:
Crowdfunding to the rescue for this cancer patient - Daijiworld.com

Shady Stem Cell Therapies Can Cause tumours, Infections …

A team of neurologists are raising a red flag over risky and unproven stem cell therapies. Their new study suggests that their fellow doctors are frequently asked about these controversial procedures by desperate patients. Many doctors are also seeing patients with serious complications from stem cell therapy, including seizures, infections, and spinal tumours.

Stem cells are the raw material that our body uses to replace other damaged or ageing cells. Scientists have been hopeful about the potential to use these cells as a way to surpass the bodys natural regenerative ability and treat currently incurable diseases, including degenerative neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

But so far, there are only a few proven uses in medicine for stem cells, such as bone marrow transplants to treat certain blood cancers. Most of the evidence for their claimed benefits elsewhere is either limited or entirely lacking. These caveats havent stopped the consumer stem cell industry from growing, though, with clinics offering treatments on an experimental basis, often without express approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

This new study, published Wednesday in the Annals of Neurology, was a survey of over 200 neurologists across the country, including a third who specialise in multiple sclerosis. Among other questions, the neurologists were asked if they had ever come across patients who had used or wanted to use stem cells to treat their health problems. For those with patients previously given stem cells, they were also asked about any health complications they had seen that were possibly linked to stem cell treatment.

Almost 90% of the neurologists surveyed said they had been asked by a patient or a close family member about stem cells, a rate that was slightly higher for those with patients who had incurable conditions like multiple sclerosis. Many of those conversations involved patients asking for the neurologists blessing to go ahead with stem cell therapy. But only 28% of the doctors reported feeling completely prepared to talk to their patients about the topic.

One of the studys points is that these discussions are happening in more than 90% of every outpatient neurology clinic, but many of the doctors are not ready, said senior author Jamie Imitola, a neuroscientist at the University of Connecticut who specialises in multiple sclerosis and stem cell research. And if theyre not fully prepared, then thats shocking, because these are the doctors that should be up to date.

Two-thirds of neurologists also said they had treated someone who had already gotten a stem cell therapy, while 25% of respondents said they had come across a patient with complications thought to be related to a stem cell therapy. Some of the specific complications listed have been reported before, but Imitola said the percentage of doctors who reported any at all is much higher than you would expect from the small number of case reports available. It suggests that side-effects linked to these procedures may be more common than previously thought.

Ive had doctors call us and tell us that patients dont want to report problems with their stem cell treatment, he added. They feel embarrassed, number one, because they have a complication or two, because they feel they were ripped off.

The long list of complications reported by doctors in the survey included stroke, paralysis, bloodborne infections like hepatitis C, and several deaths. In two cases, doctors reported the emergence of a tumour along the spinal cord; in one case, the tumour had cells that didnt seem to belong to the patient, suggesting the donors cells had somehow turned cancerous. In other cases, the therapy seemed to worsen the progression of the disease it was meant to treat. Still other patients had spent tens of thousands of dollars on their treatment, with no lasting improvement.

The surveys findings are limited, especially when it comes to the reported complications, since theyre reliant on the recollection of doctors rather than medical records or other verified information. But the study points to all sorts of systemic problems, Imitola said. Many of these patients are understandably looking for a miracle, and theres a growing mistrust of science in general, he noted. That makes the wondrous claims peddled by many clinics selling stem cell therapy look all the more appealing. And it makes the relationship between a doctor and their patient all the more important to get right.

There is a sense around the country that scientists are hiding new therapies for this or that. That we dont want people to get stem cell therapy, because there is some ulterior motive, he said. The reality is that for us to translate stem cells into something real, its going to require a great deal of work. Because, ultimately, we want to provide people the best therapy, the best opportunities.

To help neurologists be more prepared to talk about stem cells, the researchers have created a patient-friendly handout based on their findings, translated into 17languages. Imitola has also set up a patient registry where doctors and patients can anonymously report any possible complications linked to stem cell therapy.

Read the original post:
Shady Stem Cell Therapies Can Cause tumours, Infections ...

Digong forgot to mention the cure for Covid-19 The Manila Times – The Manila Times

ONE of the highlights in President Rodrigo Digong Dutertes fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) was his proposal to Congress to revive the death penalty through lethal injection.

The death penalty law was passed during the term of President Fidel Ramos, but was scrapped by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who gave in to pressure from the Catholic Church.

The death penalty could decrease the commission of heinous crimes.

Digong said drug offenses would be covered by his proposed death penalty.

But how about rape with homicide, rape of a minor, murder, robbery with homicide and large-scale estafa?

How about law enforcers who commit grave offenses using their badges as a shield? Among the serious crimes by law enforcers is planting evidence on innocent citizens.

How about government officials who coddle big-time criminals?

The above-cited offenses should have been included by Digong as punishable by lethal injection.

If Congress considers the Presidents proposal to restore the death penalty, it should include the other heinous crimes mentioned above.

* * *

Congress should not listen to bleeding hearts like Amnesty International since they refuse to see the real crime situation in the Philippines.

Bleeding hearts were not able to stop the death penalty in many countries, including some states in the United States.

Why should they stop our country from restoring the death penalty?

* * *

I was expecting the President to announce the discovery by Filipino doctors of a cure for seriously ill coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients in the SONA.

The citizenry, cowering in fear of the dreaded illness, would have appreciated the Presidents speech more if he had included the medical breakthrough.

The medical breakthrough was announced by Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. in a virtual press conference in Malacaang several days before the SONA.

However, the story was buried in the inside pages of major newspapers, a treatment it did not deserve.

The discovery of the cure for Covid-19 was made by scientists at The Medical City hospital through its Institute of Molecular Medicine stem cell program.

Stem cells taken from the blood of preserved umbilical cords worked their magic on six patients about to be intubated through intravenous injections.

I wrote about the medical breakthrough in my column last Tuesday, July 28.

For those who missed that column, you may want to read it at the Manilatimes.net.

* * *

A big supply of umbilical cords would bring down the cost of the stem cell therapy for Covid-19.

Tens of thousands of women give birth in the country and the umbilical cords of the newborns are thrown away.

The possible sources of umbilical cords are government hospitals and paanakan (maternity) centers.

The Philippines is a big manufacturer of babies.

Proof is that for a small country, our population has ballooned to 110 million.

To digress, I was a medical representative (detailman) in 1973 and one of the hospitals in Metro Manila that I was assigned to cover was the Fabella Memorial Hospital, a maternity hospital, in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

As I was fixing the promotional medicines I would give to some doctors at Fabella, I heard the screams of pain by a woman about to give birth at the delivery room.

Armando, Armando! P****g i*a mo! the woman was shouting, apparently referring to her husband.

I heard the nurse or midwife tell the woman, Tumigil ka nga diyan! Huwag mong sisihin ang asawa mo. Taun-taon nandito ka (Shut up! Dont blame your husband. Youre here every year).

See what I mean by the country being a manufacturing center of babies?

* * *

Another highlight of the Presidents SONA was his plan to establish the Coconut Farmers Trust Fund.

That part of Digongs speech was near to my heart as I come from Davao Oriental, a province where the main livelihood of the people is harvesting coconuts and turning them into copra.

Coconut farmers are the poorest in the country.

It was not so before, say, in the 1960s, when the price of copra was very high and coconut farmers in my hometown Manay could send their children to very good schools in Davao City and elsewhere.

But the price of copra in the world market is now very low and Filipino coconut farmers have become impoverished as a result.

However, the dying coconut industry might soon come to life again and the farmers could be rich once more.

An American friend of mine, Matt Grecsec, has invented a machine that converts coconut husk into hardwood for construction materials.

Grecsec, whos from Florida and married to a Filipina, has been coming to the Philippines looking for a place to set up his plant to make hardwood out of coconut husk.

Coconut husk is thrown away by farmers who make copra.

Grecsec has been meeting with Agriculture Secretary William Dar who has expressed enthusiasm for his project.

The rest is here:
Digong forgot to mention the cure for Covid-19 The Manila Times - The Manila Times

Shady Stem Cell Therapies Can Cause Tumors, Infections, and Death, Doctors Report – Gizmodo

A researcher holding up a container of stem cells.Photo : Spencer Platt (Getty Images )

A team of neurologists are raising a red flag over risky and unproven stem cell therapies. Their new study suggests that their fellow doctors are frequently asked about these controversial procedures by desperate patients. Many doctors are also seeing patients with serious complications from stem cell therapy, including seizures, infections, and spinal tumors.

Stem cells are the raw material that our body uses to replace other damaged or aging cells. Scientists have been hopeful about the potential to use these cells as a way to surpass the bodys natural regenerative ability and treat currently incurable diseases, including degenerative neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

But so far, there are only a few proven uses in medicine for stem cells, such as bone marrow transplants to treat certain blood cancers. Most of the evidence for their claimed benefits elsewhere is either limited or entirely lacking. These caveats havent stopped the consumer stem cell industry from growing, though, with clinics offering treatments on an experimental basis, often without express approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

This new study, published Wednesday in the Annals of Neurology, was a survey of over 200 neurologists across the country, including a third who specialize in multiple sclerosis. Among other questions, the neurologists were asked if they had ever come across patients who had used or wanted to use stem cells to treat their health problems. For those with patients previously given stem cells, they were also asked about any health complications they had seen that were possibly linked to stem cell treatment.

G/O Media may get a commission

BLEU by Rod Beattie Cover-Up Caftan

Almost 90% of the neurologists surveyed said they had been asked by a patient or a close family member about stem cells, a rate that was slightly higher for those with patients who had incurable conditions like multiple sclerosis. Many of those conversations involved patients asking for the neurologists blessing to go ahead with stem cell therapy. But only 28% of the doctors reported feeling completely prepared to talk to their patients about the topic.

One of the studys points is that these discussions are happening in more than 90% of every outpatient neurology clinic, but many of the doctors are not ready, said senior author Jamie Imitola, a neuroscientist at the University of Connecticut who specializes in multiple sclerosis and stem cell research. And if theyre not fully prepared, then thats shocking, because these are the doctors that should be up to date.

Two-thirds of neurologists also said they had treated someone who had already gotten a stem cell therapy, while 25% of respondents said they had come across a patient with complications thought to be related to a stem cell therapy. Some of the specific complications listed have been reported before, but Imitola said the percentage of doctors who reported any at all is much higher than you would expect from the small number of case reports available. It suggests that side-effects linked to these procedures may be more common than previously thought.

Ive had doctors call us and tell us that patients dont want to report problems with their stem cell treatment, he added. They feel embarrassed, number one, because they have a complication or two, because they feel they were ripped off.

The long list of complications reported by doctors in the survey included stroke, paralysis, bloodborne infections like hepatitis C, and several deaths. In two cases, doctors reported the emergence of a tumor along the spinal cord; in one case, the tumor had cells that didnt seem to belong to the patient, suggesting the donors cells had somehow turned cancerous. In other cases, the therapy seemed to worsen the progression of the disease it was meant to treat. Still other patients had spent tens of thousands of dollars on their treatment, with no lasting improvement.

The surveys findings are limited, especially when it comes to the reported complications, since theyre reliant on the recollection of doctors rather than medical records or other verified information. But the study points to all sorts of systemic problems, Imitola said. Many of these patients are understandably looking for a miracle, and theres a growing mistrust of science in general, he noted. That makes the wondrous claims peddled by many clinics selling stem cell therapy look all the more appealing. And it makes the relationship between a doctor and their patient all the more important to get right.

There is a sense around the country that scientists are hiding new therapies for this or that. That we dont want people to get stem cell therapy, because there is some ulterior motive, he said. The reality is that for us to translate stem cells into something real, its going to require a great deal of work. Because, ultimately, we want to provide people the best therapy, the best opportunities.

To help neurologists be more prepared to talk about stem cells, the researchers have created a patient-friendly handout based on their findings, translated into 17languages. Imitola has also set up a patient registry where doctors and patients can anonymously report any possible complications linked to stem cell therapy.

Read more:
Shady Stem Cell Therapies Can Cause Tumors, Infections, and Death, Doctors Report - Gizmodo

R3 Stem Cell International Now Offering Four Joint Injections for Only $3950 in Mexico – Yahoo Finance

R3 Stem Cell International is now offering patients the opportunity to receive four stem cell joint injections for only $3950. With 50 million stem cells total, patients may choose which extremities they would like treated.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- R3 Stem Cell International is now offering patients the opportunity to receive four stem cell joint injections for only $3950. With 50 million stem cells total, patients may choose which extremities they would like treated.

Several studies have shown just how well stem cell therapy works for arthritic joints (BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016). At R3 International, umbilical cord tissue is obtained from a lab with a long history of accreditation and pristine safety record. The lab abides by quality assurance standards that exceed those of the FDA.

Stem cell treatment for knees in Mexico at R3 works amazingly well. Patient satisfaction surveys at the center reveal that nine out of ten patients say they would have the procedure again and recommend it to friends and family.

According to R3 CEO David Greene, MD, MBA, "The biologics don't need preservative and viability exceeds 95%. The pureness and potency truly makes the difference in outcomes. Four joints for under $4000? What we put together for patients is incredible!"

The treatment process begins with a free phone consultation with one of R3's licensed, experienced stem cell doctors. Because the treatment includes 50 million stem cells, four joints may be included. The dedicated patient concierge representative assists with travel logistics. Travel from San Diego is included to the clinic, which is only 20 minutes from the San Diego airport.

Image guidance is used at the Center to ensure injection accuracy. In addition to arthritis treatment, R3 International offers stem cell treatment for autism, Lyme, COPD, kidney failure, neuropathy, diabetes, MS, ALS, stroke and much more.

Call (888) 988-0515 to learn more about therapies offered, and visit https://stemcelltreatmentclinic.com to read about the process.

SOURCE R3 Stem Cell International

Excerpt from:
R3 Stem Cell International Now Offering Four Joint Injections for Only $3950 in Mexico - Yahoo Finance

UAE’s first bone marrow transplant patient tells of life-saving treatment – The National

The first patient in the UAE to undergo a bone-marrow transplant using stem cell technology has told of how the treatment saved his life.

Abdullah Nazir Ahmad Muhammad, an electrician from Pakistan, faced terminal decline when doctors put him forward for the ground breaking treatment.

After he began to vomit blood, the 49-year-old had blood cancer diagnosed in 2018. Doctors said his health had begun to rapidly deteriorate and his only option was to undergo an expensive bone marrow transplant.

"I didnt have money to get a transplant and the UAE sponsored my treatment. I am happy to be first one to undergo this transplant in the UAE. It wouldnt have been able to afford it in Pakistan, said the father-of-four, whose family live in the Khanewal district.

I didnt have money to get a transplant and the UAE sponsored my treatment. I am happy to be first one to undergo this transplant in the UAE

Abdullah Nazir Ahmad Muhammad

Mr Muhammad received his transplant on July 18 at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City with involvement of Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre the facility developing a stem cell treatment for Covid-19 patients.

The transplant procedure will bring hope to cancer patients in the UAE, who can now seek treatment closer to home to remain with family.

Known as regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy promotes the repair of abnormal or injured tissue using stem cells. Doctors can manipulate the cells into the type the patient needs and inject them where repair is necessary. The cells can be taken from a matching donor or harvested from the patient, treated, then reintroduced to the body.

The UAE has began to harness stem cell therapy in recent months to fight the coronavirus but this was the first time it was used in a transplant in the Emirates.

In Mr Muhammeds case, stem calls were harvested from his own blood and were reinjected into him after he underwent a short course of chemotherapy. This is called an autologous bone marrow transplant.

Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, executive director of the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Programme, described the treatment as a milestone for the UAE.

"Most of these cases travel abroad so, in the near future, we will be self sufficient and efficient to take care of our own with the highest calibre of medical care and international standards."

Dr Al Kaabi said that, to harvest the cells, Mr Muhammed was injected with a stimulant that prompted the stem cells to leave his bone marrow and enter his blood stream. His blood was drawn using a machine similar to one used in kidney dialysis to separate the plasma containing the stem cells from the blood.

The plasma was safely stored while Mr Muhammed underwent chemotherapy to wipe out the bone marrow and give way to the new cells, she said.

Mr Muhammed was kept in a sterile area for 10 to 15 days to prevent him from catching infections until the stem cells were returned to his body. The reintroduction of cells to his body took about 20 minutes.

Following the successful autologous bone marrow transplant, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre aims to begin carrying out transplants from related donors.

For now only we are doing autologous transplants, where the patient and donor are the same person, but in the near future we will not only do related transplantation but more complicated ones where donors are not related to the patient, said Dr Yendry Ventura, general manager of the stem cell centre and director of Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Programme.

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi are working on a stem cell donor registry.

The next transplant is scheduled in a few weeks time with the centre aiming to perform 10 transplants before the related transplant programme and, eventually, a transplant programme for children.

We want to provide the people of UAE a programme that is not only comparable with any other programmes in the rest of the world but also offers customised and personalised treatment," Dr Ventura said.

Mr Muhammed, who has been in hospital since July 8, will be released in a few days and plans to return to Pakistan in October to see his family.

Updated: July 28, 2020 09:05 PM

See original here:
UAE's first bone marrow transplant patient tells of life-saving treatment - The National

From cancer through Covid, how one mother retained hope – Buffalo News

Even in March, when she learned she had Covid-19, she thought she would soon go home.

On the day of her release from Roswell, Melissa Fuller is greeted by her son Jacob.

Normally, said Dr. Philip McCarthy, director of Roswells transplant and cellular therapy program, shed have cleared the virus in two to three weeks, but because her immune system wasn't strong enough, it took what seemed like forever.

She was at the cancer center from late winter into summer. The staff, intensely aware of that journey, speaks of Melissa with affection and a touch of awe. In 2016, she was working in payroll at the Madison-Oneida BOCES when she went to the doctor for shoulder pain she thought was triggered by a torn rotator cuff.

The ache was radiating from a tumor. McCarthy said she had an especially aggressive form of multiple myeloma, acancer of the bone. Melissa would eventually go through a stem cell transplant at the SUNY Upstate University Medical Center in Syracuse that she hoped would roll back the disease.

The transplant didnt work. Her doctor at Upstate, an oncologist who became a friend, told her quietly that she was running out of options. She suggested Melissa look to Roswell and its CAR T-cell therapy, leading her to McCarthy, who moved quickly based on the dire nature of the risk.

His team injected Melissa with her own healthy T-cells to recognize and kill her cancer, treatments that continued throughout her stay in February. The process was a success, McCarthy said. Most of her cancer disappeared, offering the greatest hope her family had felt for years.

Continued here:
From cancer through Covid, how one mother retained hope - Buffalo News

Mum whose husband died of coronavirus shares heartbreaking video of one-year-old son saying Dada as his fir – The Irish Sun

A MUM whose husband died of coronavirus complications has shared a heartbreaking video of their one-year-old son saying "Dada" as his first words.

Broadway star Nick Cordero tragically passed away last month - leaving behind his devastated wife Amanda Kloots-Larsen and their baby son Elvis.

5

Posting on her Instagram page, Amanda shared an emotional clip of Elvis pointing at a picture of his father and saying "Dada right there".

In the video, the tot reaches for the picture light which is covered in images of his dad and gives it a kiss.

Alongside the video, Amanda wrote: "[Elvis] hasnt seen Nick since March 30th.

"The fact that he still knows who his Dada is, point to him and give him a kiss to me is amazing."

5

5

Earlier this week, Amanda revealed on social media that her and Elvis are moving into the house in LA she had purchased with her late husband.

Nick tragically caught coronavirus when he was packing up his home in New York - and was originally misdiagnosed with pneumonia when he returned to Los Angeles.

Doctors were not onlyforced to amputate Nick's right leg as a result of blood clots, but the Broadway star also had to undergo stem cell treatment to strengthen his lungs.

But on July 5, 2020Nick sadly passed away after 91 days in hospital.

5

5

Explaining how she was putting on a "brave face" for her son, Amanda wrote: "Im not expecting this to be easy, in fact I think it will be very hard, but Im going into it knowing I need to be strong.

"I have to find my new normal, at least whatever that is for Elvis and I right now. I know Nick will be with us.

"He wanted to live in this house more than anything so Ill put lots of family photos up and make sure his presence is with us."

Amanda's video of Elvis' first words has been viewed by over 296,000 users on Instagram - and it left fans in tears.

"Beautiful moment," one replied. "Thank you for sharing with us."

Another added: "My heart is happy and sad at the same time."

"How precious," a third wrote. "He clearly remembers his Dadda."

For more real life stories, this mum's pregnancy made her so sick she felt suicidal and asked for an abortion.

And this mum thought her daughter would be safe at nursery but an accident almost blinded her & she needed five-hour eye surgery.

Plus this woman grew up thinking her mum tried to kill her in a fire which left her with horrific scars but she wont lie to my son about the past.

More:
Mum whose husband died of coronavirus shares heartbreaking video of one-year-old son saying Dada as his fir - The Irish Sun

Scientists discover why coronavirus patients lose sense of smell and offer hope to those who havent got it – The Scottish Sun

THE KEY symptoms of coronavirus are now widely known as a new and persistent cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste and smell.

But many have been left mystified as to why the respiratory infection would prevent someone from being able to smell.

Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

2

Now, scientists say they have the answer - and it's promising news if you're someone who still hasn't had their sense of smell back yet.

A team of experts at Harvard Medical School have identified the cell group which is most vulnerable to Covid-19.

They found the neurons that detect and transmit the sense of smell to the brain are not part of the vulnerable cells.

Researchers did however discover that the ACE 2 receptor protein that Covid uses to enter human cells is found in cells that provide metabolic and structural support.

Non neural cells are found in the central nervous system.

2

The experts said that their research suggests that it is these cells that are responsible for anosmia (loss of taste and smell) in Covid-19 patients.

Writing in Science Advancessenior study author Sandeep Robert Datta said: "Our findings indicate that the novel coronavirus changes the sense of smell in patients not by directly infecting neurons but by affecting the function of supporting cells.

"I think it's good news, because once the infection clears, olfactory neurons don't appear to need to be replaced or rebuilt from scratch."

They say that it means most people who develop anosmia due to Covid-19 will be able to regain their senses.

Anosmia is when you lose your sense of smell, which can be due to a number of different reasons.

The most common include:

It's estimated 6,000 people in the UK are born without a sense of smell and it can be diagnosed by doctors by usingacetylcysteinetests.

Often the condition can be unpleasant and affect your enjoyment of food.

It may go away in weeks or months by itself, but there are certain things you can do to alleviate it.

This includes rinsing the inside of your nose with a salt water solution, if your loss of smell has been caused by an infection or allergy.

You can also pick up sachets and a device from some pharmacies which can help you make a salt water solution.

The findings come after an alternative study found that one in ten coronavirus patients who lose their sense of taste and smell will not get it back.

Researchers compiled their data from Italian patients and found that 49 per cent had fully regained their sense of smell or taste after recovering from the virus.

This is while just 40 per cent reported improvements and 10 per cent said their symptoms had worsened.

Meanwhile analysis of electronic health records found that coronavirus patients are 27 times more likely to have a loss of smell but are 2.2 to 2.6 times more likely to have other respiratory difficulties compared to non Covid patients.

Datta and the team at Harvard looked to how a loss of sense and smell is altered in patients with Covid-19.

They found that cells that wrapped around sensory neurons (setentacular cells) provided metabolic support.

While basal cells helped regenerate after they were damaged.

Theolfactory epithelium is found in the nasal cavity and researchers found that these expressed higher levels of ACE 2 protein compared with resting stem cells.

Revealed

I may look sexy stripping, but usually l think about toast

The authors said that anosmia in Covid-19 patients could arise from a loss of supporting function in the olfactory epithelium which indirectly causes changes to olfactorysensory neurons.

Datta added: "Anosmia seems like a curious phenomenon, but it can be devastating for the small fraction of people in whom it's persistent.

"It can have serious psychological consequences and could be a major public health problem if we have a growing population with permanent loss of smell."

The team added that the research will offer hope to those who have not yet got their senses back as they claim it does not cause permanent damage.

Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.

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Scientists discover why coronavirus patients lose sense of smell and offer hope to those who havent got it - The Scottish Sun

Fair Haven Foundation provides a refuge in the storm – WRTV Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS Living through a global pandemic with shutdowns, job losses, and health scares can be difficult for anyone. But for those who are battling a serious health threat, it can be even more of a challenge.

Thousands of people come to Indianapolis each year to receive life-saving transplants and chemotherapy from doctors here in downtown.

"If you are in the middle of a health crisis like they are, it's been even tougher, and thankfully Indianapolis hospitals haven't been overwhelmed by Covid patients so they've been able to continue to care for the most critically ill," says Amanda Milner who founded Fair Haven Foundation.

Fair Haven is just what the name references, a refuge in the storm. The organization provides housing, free of charge, to patients and their families at Indianapolis hospitals while they undergo treatment away from home.

Each year, Fair Haven can provide shelter and basic household necessities to around 100 families who stay, on average, four weeks in their apartments.

Milner knows firsthand there is a need after working for a cancer agency and then being diagnosed herself.

At the age of 3, Milner was a single mother to two kids and was diagnosed with cancer. She was unable to work and lost her home, but not her faith, as she relied on the support of her family, friends, and God to get her through the tough times.

"Through it, I had so much to be grateful for, and so I started Fair Haven as a way to share the love from my family and friends and my Heavenly Father and give that to people who are in that same battle," says Milner.

The apartments are fully furnished, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms. They include a full kitchen and living room and are located close to the medical facilities here in Indianapolis.

Patients like Derek Brown are thankful this service exists as he found himself in an unthinkable spot.

Brown is a Gary native and a Purdue grad, who has worked all over the United States, but his family roots brought him back to the Hoosier state. He was just about to sign papers to start a new career when something felt off.

"Something isn't right. My head was still hurting a lot, mouth sores were still there, so we go to the emergency room," says Brown. "They run all these batteries of tests, Cat scans, CT scans, etc. They keep me overnight, and then I wake up the next morning, and they tell me, oh ya, you have leukemia."

He considered getting a second opinion, but time wasn't on his side. Doctors needed to start an aggressive treatment right away.

"So they put me in the back of an ambulance and 2 hours and 50-minute drive down here, and I got here February 20th and met with the team of doctors," says Brown. "They pretty much confirmed that I had Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a mutation, unfortunately."

Treatment in Indianapolis started right away.

"So we put everything in the hands of the Lord and got started," says Brown. "So it was aggressive, that first week."

To brighten his spirits during treatments, his parents and family would visit as well as friends. Then March came, and COVID-19 came to Indianapolis.

"That was big. It was huge. It was good for my psyche and just overall just seeing people seeing friends and faces, which was good, but then all of a sudden, they were like sorry we are going to have to cut that out."

Brown knew he needed a stem cell transplant, and he has an older brother. He and his family were thankful when they found out his brother was a perfect match. The procedure was a success, but he still needed to spend a lot of time recovering in Indianapolis and going to follow up appointments and be near his doctors.

He applied for an apartment with Fair Haven, which always has a waiting list, and thankfully an apartment opened up just in time.

"I don't even know where to begin," says Brown. "Fair Haven, it's been, its been great ... Words can't even put into play how much they've been there, ya know, from day one helping me out."

Milner and others from Fair Haven helped Brown and his family move into the apartment. Brown, who went vegan and lost a lot of weight before his diagnosis, could cook healthy food in his kitchen so he could stay on top of his health. His parents had their own room to rest while he was getting treatments.

"And just my parents as well, too. Having a place for them to be comfortable, it's been great. Having a place for them to rest and be at ease as well, too, when I'm at the hospital, be it transfusions or follow-ups, so its been huge. It checks all the marks."

Brown and his parents have already discussed supporting Fair Haven in any way they can going forward, to give back to a place that means so much.

"I'm very fortunate that I was able to get blessed and get this, and then hopefully, I can continue to help out and be a part of it moving on," says Brown. "Kind of like being a home away from home."

Due to COVID-19, Fair Haven had to postpone their biggest fundraiser of the year from Spring to summer, and with the rise in cases, it has now moved to a virtual platform.

You can watch their "Stories of Hope" on their Facebook page.

And find out how you can donate at FairHavenFoundation.org.

Right now, they own a building debt-free, and once renovations are complete, they will be able to serve 600 families a year, on average. Right now, Fair Haven needs support to renovate the space and prepare it for these patients.

The goal is to open this new facility by the spring of 2021.

Read the original here:
Fair Haven Foundation provides a refuge in the storm - WRTV Indianapolis