Tummy Ache Turns Out To Be Cancer, ER Visit During Pandemic Was Critical Decision – CBS Denver

DENVER (CBS4) A little boy from Denver had a bad tummy ache that would not go away. Despite warnings to avoid hospitals because of the pandemic, his concerned parents rushed him to an emergency room. That smart decision has made fighting stage 4 cancer a little easier.

On a Tuesday in July, Ty Davis hits the hall in a shiny red Tesla, his kid-sized vehicle of choice at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (RMHC).

The hospital has become, sort of, his second home. He first arrived back on March 28th.

Ty woke up about 10:00 that morning screaming in pain, Robyn Davis, Tys mother, told Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

It was the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Fear was keeping people from hospitals.

But Robyn and Terrence, Tys father, were so worried they took Ty to an ER. Scans showed a mass in his stomach.

I punched my truck a couple of times, threw myself on the ground, what do you do? asked Terrence.

Ty was rushed to RMHC. The diagnosis was metastatic neuroblastoma, a tumor was above his kidney and the cancer had spread to his bones. Getting him care was critical.

A few more days, I think it could have been a much more dangerous situation than it was, said Dr. Jennifer Clark, one of Tys oncologists.

Clark said Ty has endured brutal treatment including five rounds of high dose chemotherapy and major surgeries. He spent his fifth birthday in the hospital.

Hes amazing, hes a very tough kid, hes got a great attitude, said Clark.

His parents say, during his first 11-week stay, it was the tiny Tesla that got Ty out of his room.

The doctors, nurses and staff got him better.

Hes already bouncing back, said Robyn.

I cant thank God enough, said Terrence.

Ty will have more time to tool around in the Tesla at RMHC. He has two stem cell transplants ahead, then months-long drug therapy.

Its stressful, said Robyn.

But all are hopeful this brave little boy will be cured.

Link:
Tummy Ache Turns Out To Be Cancer, ER Visit During Pandemic Was Critical Decision - CBS Denver

One common infection could kill our baby girl but one simple act could change her life forever – The Sun

ONE simple act could save this little girl's life.

Little Shahera Khan has a fault with her immune system that means her body can't produce enough white blood cells.

3

It means the toddler is susceptible to infections, meaning a seemingly innocuous bug could kill her.

Shahera's life is very different to those of other tot's her age.

She can't go to nursery, make friends or really interact with too many other kids, for fear of picking up infections.

While she loves to play with her big brother, Amaan, five, she has to take daily medication and has blood transfusions each week.

If she picks up a common cold or cough, it can leave her in hospital for days while her tiny body fights the bacteria or virus.

Now, her parents are pleading for help from strangers, to offer their little girl a chance at a normal life.

Shahera's only hope of growing up like her peers is a stem cell transplant.

Speaking to The Sun her Mum Amina said she just wants her daughter to get better and to lead a normal life.

Shahera was born a healthy child and she was okay when she was small.

She picked up bronchiolitis when she was eight months old and had to be hospitalised. We were there for a week and she also picked up an ear and nose infection.

A lot of people say she has been through the wars and she has, she hasnt had an easy childhood and theres always something new with her illness

Amina, who lives in Croydon with Shahera, her husband and Sharehas little brother said that she had Shahera at home for just a couple of days before she had to go back to hospital due to coughing fits.

She recovered at home but within two weeks the family were sent a letter that detailed she had low immunity.

Amina said that little Shahera had a rash on her face and said doctors then had to do a biopsy.

They were scratching their heads really. After a biopsy they found that she was an unusual case.

3

Her skin was pretty bad at that point and they gave her steroids and antibiotics.

At the Evelina hospital they ran further tests on Shahera, but sadly she then had to be hospitalised for bacterial sepsis.

Amina said that all of this happened during the 2018 World Cup and said she remembers it so well as temperatures were soaring and she was trying to control little Shaheras temperature.

She was so thirsty and her temperature was 38/39C.

Little Shahera needs a stem cell donor - here's how you can register

You can join the stem cell register online. All you need to do is fill out a registration form and you will be sent out some swabs.

You will need to take some samples, usually from the inside of your mouth and then send them back. As soon as they are received you'll be added to the register.

You'll remain on the register until you are 61-years-old.

If you are a match for someone in need charities such as Anthony Nolan will help guide you through the process.

Around 90 per cent of people are able to donate via their blood stream with 10 per cent donating from bone marrow while under general anaesthetic.

To find out more and to register you can visit the below sites:

Then the hospital found that one of her white blood cells was completely wiped out, she was very sick and it was at that point that the doctors mentioned a bone marrow transplant.

Once again Shahera was allowed to return home and she made a good recovery.

Then when she was just one her rash appeared again and more tests found that she had a rare immunodeficiency.

Shahera now has antibody immunoglobulin treatments every week and Amina said this makes a big difference to her quality of life.

3

The issue now Amina says, is that doctors need to find a way to continue to treat Shahera so she can do all the things that other little girls can.

Doctors have given the family several months to find a donor and have said the transplant could take place as early as next spring.

Finding a donor though will be a struggle for the family as just 20 per cent of patients from BAME backgrounds find the best possible donor match.

This is in comparison to 69 per cent for people with white European heritage.

Finding a donor would be a big relief for us, because hopefully it will maker her better

Shahera is of Bangladeshi origin and Amina said its difficult for the family to find someone from their community.

We are part of her journey and it has been difficult but we have been very patient and we are still working with consultants and professors.

At the moment she is doing as well as she can be and she has been shielding due to Covid-19.

Finding a donor would be a big relief for us, because hopefully it will maker her better.

Amina said that the family are not only campaigning to find a donor for Shahera but for others in the same situation.

Little Shahera has to have antibody immunoglobulin treatments to keep her well

It is a blood-based treatment that contains antibodies in order to fight against infections.

People are given this treatment when their immune systems do not produce enough antibodies.

Some patients are at a higher risk than others.

Charity PID UK states: "Clinical trials have shown that for people with immune deficiency, immunoglobulin treatments result in fewer infections, and those infections that do occur tend to be less serious.

"There is also evidence that people with immune deficiency are more likely to enjoy good health over many years if they receive immunoglobulin correctly. Finally, your wellbeing and your energy levels are likely to be better if you are on immunoglobulin.

"It may take several months before you feel these benefits.

Everything has been put on hold because of Covid but donating is such a simple process.

A lot of people have misconceptions about stem cell donation, but donors can save lives.

Due to the coronavirus lockdown little Shahera has spent lots of quality time with her family.

Amina said she is doing well and has enjoyed spending even more time with her older brother.

She likes to play cops and robbers and fireman Sam but she also enjoys doing girly things too like looking after her dolls.

Now that Shahera is a little bit older, Amina said she is more aware of her rash and will sometimes look at it and point.

She is very aware of the transfusions and understands what is happening and she is very well known in the ward.

She doesnt really cry when they prepare her for transfusions.

A lot of people say she has been through the wars and she has, she hasnt had an easy childhood and theres always something new with her illness.

Exclusive

But shes a tough little girl and she is doing really well.

Sarah Rogers, register development manager at Anthony Nolan says: Little Shahera wants to go to nursery, learn and make more friends just like other toddlers olds across the UK. For this to happen she needs a stranger to donate their stem cells.

"If youre aged 16-30 you can join the register online and well send you a cheek swab in the post.

"If youre found to be a match for a patient, you could donate your stem cells and give hope to families like Shaheras. Your support could help us give a patient, their family and their friends a second chance of life."

Read the original here:
One common infection could kill our baby girl but one simple act could change her life forever - The Sun

Top 10 Most Popular Stem Cell Treatments of 2020

Today in 2020, the number of new achievements cropping up each year is nothing short of astonishing. Modern medicines ability to heal previously unhealable parts of the body from brains to hearts to compound fractures and nerve disorders continues to amaze. Now, stem cell treatments are the newest addition to the healing repertoire.

Before diving into a stem cell treatment of any type, its important to note that almost all stem cell treatments remain in the experimental stages. For the small number of stem cell treatments that have been approved by regulatory bodies worldwide, even these treatments require meeting specific criteria before the patient is eligible for the treatment.

Almost without exception, the medical community is both excited and hopeful about the possibilities of stem cell treatment .

Stem cell technology promises to revolutionize the world of medicine and is now available in a number of forms, the top ten of which are listed below. Before we begin, its a good idea to take a closer look at what regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy involve.

Regenerative medicine is a field that would have seemed miraculous only two decades ago, much less two centuries. The basic premise is that, through various treatments, scientists and physicians can help patients who suffer from illness or injury to rebuild the affected parts of their body.

For instance, a patient who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) could receive the necessary ingredients to rebuild the damaged parts of their brain. A person who was dying of cancer could receive new cells to replace the part of the body that doctors had to excise.

Regenerative medicine uses the bodys own ingredients such as cells, structural tissue, exosomes, or other biomaterials to repair damaged tissues and organs.

Stem cell therapy is one kind of regenerative medicine, and it holds a great deal of promise.

The power of stem cells is that they are a renewable resource. As undifferentiated cells, they can turn into a wide variety of other cell types. Their power varies depending on how specialized they are, to begin with.

Such a wealth of stem cell types, as well as the medical communitys growing ability to access them, has resulted in a powerful new technology for healing illnesses and injuries. Scientists and researchers have almost limitless ideas for the treatment of stem cells, which are currently in various phases of development.

Below are 10 of the most popular stem cell treatments right now. Most have not received FDA approval in the United States, nor approval from other regulatory bodies worldwide.

The patient should use caution with all of these options. No matter which route a patient decides to go, its best to have a knowledgeable physician guiding your decision-making. That way, you can steer clear of any untested, suspect or dangerous treatments.

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a type of cancer that arises in the lymphatic system, which is responsible for fighting disease and toxins in the body. White blood cells, also known as lymphocytes, give rise to cancer cells, which then pervade the body. Without treatment, the condition is almost universally fatal.

Chemotherapy is an extremely effective tool against this disease. The problem is, high doses of chemotherapy often kill off bone marrow, in which new blood cells get made. In so doing, the chemotherapy kills cancer but also kills the patient, who now has no source of blood cells.

Stem cell treatment, however, helps mitigate this risk substantially bygiving the patient an infusion of new cells following those necessarily high doses of chemotherapy. The patient first receives the chemo, then the stem cell infusion to help them repopulate their blood cell counts. Many patients show great promise of living long and healthy lives following the treatment.

Leukemia is another form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system as well as bone marrow. Leukemia cells are cancerous, affecting the immune system and causing an array of unpleasant symptoms, then eventually leading to death without treatment. It isthe most common childhood cancer, but it affects adults of a range of ages as well.

Stem cell therapy poses significant hope, however. Much like with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the treatment involves first killing off leukemia cells with high doses of chemotherapy and sometimes radiation as well. After the majority of cancer cells are defeated, the patient receives an infusion of stem cells to help the body repopulate, so that it can make normal blood cells once again.

This treatment, like the one for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, is typically only available to patients who have relapsed. That means their cancer went into remission from standard treatments, then returned months or years later. Good news, though: with a stem cell treatment within the first remission, the survival rate at 5 years is 30-50 percent. If the patient has not experienced a relapse within 2 years of the stem cell transplant, they have a good chance of surviving for many years.

Recent research shows that stroke victims may find hope in stem cell transplants. An astounding study at Stanford Universityalmost completely reversed the devastating effects of a strokeon Sonia Coontz, who suffered the attack on the brain at the young age of 31. After confinement to a wheelchair and speech difficulties for two years, she decided to enroll in a clinical trial, which used stem cells to rebuild centers in her brain.

Within hours of the stem cell treatment, she was able to move her arms and legs whereas before she had suffered almost complete immobilization. She and her doctors also noticed rapid improvements in her speech again, within only a few hours. Other patients noticed astonishing improvements as well, the only side effects coming in the form of passing headaches.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition affecting the joints. Over time, the cartilage that protects joints, preventing the rubbing of one bone on another, breaks down. Eventually, this can lead to the deterioration of the underlying bone as well, causing aching, stiffness, and eventual immobility in many cases. The condition commonly affects the hips, knees, and thumbs, though it can also strike elbows, wrists, ankles, and fingers.

The main issue with this condition is that cartilage is not a self-renewing substance. People are born with only so many cells in their bodies, which means that when those cells die and are carried off to the bodys waste disposal factories, no new cells take their place. Thus, the degeneration of joints and bones.

Thats where stem cells step in. Because they can transform into many different types of specialized cell, stem cells have the ability to become cartilage cells, renewing what was once unrenewable.

The procedure is offered in many clinics within and outside the United States and typically uses adipose cells as the stem cell source. Physicians extract these cells from fat tissue, separate out the stem cells from the rest, then prepare a solution containing growth factors and other ingredients necessary to tell stem cells how to develop in the new site. Once its prepared, doctors inject it into the affected site, such as a knee joint.

Regenexx is a U.S. company specializing in orthopedic applications of stem cells that was founded by Dr. Chris Centeno. Dr. Centeno is an expert in the clinical use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within orthopedic applications. His Regenexx clinic in Denver, Colorado, draws patients from all over the U.S. who are seeking innovative, non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis, as well as a wide range of other orthopedic applications.

As the visionary behind the revolutionary Regenexx technology, he pioneered a procedure that involves extracting a small bone marrow sample through a needle and a blood draw from a vein in your arm. These samples are then processed in a laboratory and the stem cells it contains are injected into the area needing repair. The goal is to deliver large numbers of stem cells to the injured area.

Like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects joints. However, unlike osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative condition, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, in which the body attacks its own systems, causing destruction, limited function, and pain.

That means the mechanism for treatment is slightly different, with stem cell therapy potentially targeting the immune system rather than the joints themselves. That said, stem cell treatment of the joints can have the same positive effects as in osteoarthritis, and theres no reason for patients not to try.

Clinical trials conducted in the last decade have not yet yielded conclusive results as to the efficacy of this treatment, but more trials crop up all the time, giving patients who struggle with severe pain and loss of mobility hope that they do may enroll in trials at home in the US or abroad. Examplestudies in Belgium have started, whilesome in the United States have wrapped up, with the scientific community awaiting information.

Rheumatoid arthritis isnt the only autoimmune disease, of course. A huge range of autoimmune conditions exists, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Addisons disease, Graves disease, and more.

These conditions all share the characteristic of the bodys immune system reacting to normal substances in the body as though they were pathogenic. That means instead of letting the body function normally, the immune system will attack tissues and substances, creating ongoing sickness and in many cases, eventually death.

Stem cell therapy has two possible benefits in the case of autoimmune diseases. For one thing, it can help repair and regenerative tissues damaged in an autoimmune attack. Stem cells can help them repair nerves, skin, blood, organs, and more. This helps the patient regain their health and fight the degenerative nature of such diseases.

Second, stem cells can actually modulate the immune system so that it no longer attacks the body so viciously or at all. Research demonstrates thatstem cells can minimize the pathological effects of the immune system, making it so the body no longer attacks itself all while preserving its ability to attack foreign substances and real pathogens.

One of the most traumatic injuries to the human body is blunt for trauma to or severing of the spinal cord. Depending on where the injury occurs, the patient may never walk or even move their arms again. For most of human history, such a traumatic injury was completely irreparable. In recent years, neurosurgery has given people back some of their function in cases like these, but outcomes are still all too often disappointing.

Stem cells provide serious hope for the future. Instead of trying to repair damaged nerves, stem cells offer the ability to replace them. By injecting stem cells to the site of the injury, the spinal column can repair itself, accessing all the ingredients it needs for the specialized job.

In combination with growth factors and hormones, stem cells are capable of traveling to the site of the injury assessing what needs rebuilding and stepping in to do the job for doctors. This limits the number of modifications needed from the outside and leaves the healing to the body.

While the mechanisms arent yet clear, it seems that hormones such as growth factors in addition to the location in the body can provide signposts to stem cells telling them what kinds of tissues are needed. Then the stem cells transform into them, integrate with the damaged tissue and repair it.

While balding is far from life and death, many people care about their hair a great deal. Luckily, stem cells are paving the way for all-natural hair regrowth.

The simple outpatient treatment may actually provide the de-balding effects for which men and women have searched for decades (scratch that: centuries). Heres how it often works: The patient goes into a clinic. The specialist removes follicles from their scalp, separates out the stem cells, and injects those follicles along with stem cells back into the scalp.

Recent research in Italyhas developed one mechanism of doing so, while multiple clinics across the United States, Europe, and other locations worldwide offer modified versions of the treatment. The essence of the therapy involves encouraging formerly hairless or balding sections of the scalp to grow by offering the nutrients needed to regenerate hair and a follicle needed to produce one in the first place.

A leading company working on a treatment for hair loss is Replicel. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, the company is developing an autologous cell therapy utilizing dermal sheath cup (DSC) cellsto treat androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). The product that Replicel is developing is called RCH-01. It is poised to begin a Phase 2 trial that will enroll 160 male subjects.

In the trial, dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells will be isolated from a biopsy taken from the back of the patients head. Afterward, the cells will be multiplied in the lab and injected into balding areas on the patients scalp.

Before embarking on a hair treatment plan, be sure to research the clinic. Although stem cell treatments for hair loss are certainly available, they are not approved by the FDA and are at this point considered uniformly investigational. That means patients shouldnt conclude theyre safe based on a few website testimonials. Do the research and, as always, speak with a physician before signing on the dotted line.

Heart disease is still theNo. 1 killer in the United States(although by some estimates cancer will soon or has already surpassed it). For obvious reasons, stem cells seem like a strong possibility for repairing heart tissue and helping to overcome the intermediate symptoms that eventually lead to heart disease or cardiac arrest.

As is the case with most of these therapies, the biggest benefit of stem cell treatment for heart disease is its ability to replace damaged or dead cellswithoutthe need for invasive surgery or transplants. An injection of stem cells can give the body the ingredients it needs to grow the specialized cells on site, ideally without having to put the patient under or open them up. The exact mechanisms of this procedure are not as yet clear, however.

On 16 May, 2018, Nature News reported that Japans health ministry gave doctors at Osaka University permission to take sheets of tissue derived from stem cells and use them to treat diseased human hearts. From preclinical studies in pigs, it appears that thin sheets of cell grafts grown from induced pluripotent stem cells can improve heart function. While the treatment approved by Japans health ministry will only be tested in three patients, a follow-up trial could enroll ten or more patients.

Stem cell therapy for heart disease is currently limited to clinical trials.

Many people are very interested in the possibility of stem cells to treat diabetes. BothType IandType IIdiabetes have devastating effects on the health of millions, and stem cells may help to ameliorate those conditions.

Type I and Type II diabetes affect the body in different ways. Type I diabetes is genetic, and results from the pancreas failing to produce insulin, or producing too little of it. Insulin is what tells the body to remove glucose from the bloodstream and let it into cells, so they can use it for energy. Most likely this is due to an immune system disorder in which the body attacks its own islets, the pancreatic cells responsible for manufacturing insulin. In this case, stem cells may provide the same immune system-modulating effect as they do for other autoimmune diseases.

Type II diabetes is when the body becomes resistant to insulin. The pancreas may still make it, but the patients body does not sense it it is insulin resistant, which means the release of insulin in the bloodstream still does not result in cells taking up glucose. It remains in the bloodstream, causing dangerous hyperglycemia just as it does in the case of Type I.

The second condition may also respond to stem cell treatment, which can help moderate pancreatic productive of insulin as well as helping the body respond to it more effectively. Multiple clinical trials assessing the validity of stem cells for both diseases are underway, and many eagerly await their results.

There exist two possible sources of stem cells: autologous and allogeneic. Both provide benefits and drawbacks.

Autologous stem cells are those that come from the patients own body. Physicians can source them anywhere, from blood or other tissues, but they still count as autologous so long as the patient themselves is the source and recipient of the stem cells. Allogeneic stem cells, on the other hand, come from donors usually family members, but sometimes anonymous donors who have given their stem cells to a bank.

Autologous stem cells are ideal since the body already knows the cells and doesnt consider them invaders, as is often the case with donor cells. There is a very little risk, therefore, of the patient rejecting the stem cell infusion (except in rare cases where the patient has an allergic reaction to a preservative or other agent used in preparation). There is also no risk ofgraft-versus-host disease, a condition in which the donor cells from another individual see the patients body as an invader to the donors immune system, and will, therefore, attack it.

So why doesnt every stem cell patient use autologous cells, then? Usually, its due to the danger that the patients own cells will re-infect them with a disease. For instance, in the case of leukemia or lymphoma, the patient needs cells other than their own to ensure no reintroduction of cancer cells. Thats why donor cells are critical but again, they do bring risks.

Overall, the decision is a very personal one that patients should discuss with their managing physicians before taking action. Note that in cases where allogeneic cells are needed, it can take a long time to find the right donor, so its best to start as soon as possible.

Not all treatments are equally available to patients, nor will they necessarily provide the same results across the board. Whether or not a certain therapy is right for a patient depends on many factors, including:

among other factors.

The best approach in cases where the studies have unclear results and the patient isnt sure where to turn is to speak with a physician. They will have much better guidance to offer than one can find online, and can help prepare the documentation needed to enroll.

Patients and loved ones can also speak with clinics, who often provide stem cell treatments of the types discussed above, with patients reporting significant positive results. Beware, though, that terms like human trials and human studies get tossed around rather loosely these days. Technically,a clinical trial must follow an array of very specific guidelines to constitute a valid form of medical research. It is a time-consuming process to start and fund a clinical trial, so before enrolling, always do due diligence.

If you are seeking a stem cell treatment, werecommend GIOSTAR to help you access medical guidance and advice. In alignment with what we believe at BioInformant, GIOSTARs goal is to offer extensively researched stem cell therapy options designed to improve a patients quality of life.

Click here to Schedule a Consultation or ask GIOSTAR a question.

See the original post here:
Top 10 Most Popular Stem Cell Treatments of 2020

Coronavirus updates: California to release 8,000 inmates; masks ‘only way’ to prevent another shutdown, Texas Gov. says – Times Record News

Jessica Flores, Ryan W. Miller and Grace Hauck, USA TODAY Published 5:45 a.m. CT July 10, 2020 | Updated 12:59 a.m. CT July 11, 2020

If you thought COVID-19 symptoms couldn't get worse, doctors say a new symptom has emerged. Hallucinations. USA TODAY

A spiking COVID-19 case countis straining Florida's hospital system as nearly half of its intensive care units are at least 90% full.

Mississippi has also seen a recent strain on its hospitals. Five of the largest medical centers have no ICU bed space for new patients COVID-19 or otherwise and are being forced to turn patients away.

Meanwhile, some states are scaling back reopening guidelines or adding new requirements: Some bars in Nevada will be closing again Friday and restaurants can no longer serve parties more than six people.Kentucky will join the growing list of states that require face coverings in public, too.

In New Mexico, indoor dining at restaurants and breweries will be restricted again starting Monday, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham halted high school sports and said state parks will be closed to out-of-state residents.

Here are some recent developments:

Today's stats:The U.S. has surpassed 3.18 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. More than134,000deaths have been confirmed, according toJohn Hopkins University data. Globally, there have been just shy of12.5million cases and over 560,000deaths.

What we're reading:ThreeArizona teachers shared a classroom for summer school.They thought they were being "very careful."All threecontracted COVID-19, and one died.The teachers who survived say their colleague's death is a stark reminder of the risks teachers will face if school reopens too soon.

Our live blog will be updated throughout the day. For first-in-the-morning updates,sign upfor The Daily Briefing.

R-0 may be the most important scientific term youve never heard of when it comes to stopping the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY

Travis Hamonic of the Calgary Flames is the first NHL player to opt out of the NHL's restart.

Hamonic, a 29-year-old defenseman in his 10th NHL season, cited his young daughter's battle with a respiratory illness in 2019 as being a key factor in his decision.

"Like every parent, everything we do is to provide and protect our kids and try to take away any suffering they may endure," Hamonicwrote in a statement explaining his decision posted by Titan Sports Management.

Said the Flames, who first announced Hamonic's decision:"While we will miss Travis in our line-up, we understand and respect his decision."

The NHL and NHLPA finalized the return-to-play plan Friday. Players have until Monday to opt out, which is also when training camps are set to open.

Jace Evans

The Pac-12 will use a conference-only playing schedule for all fall sports should teams be able to compete in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, a personwith direct knowledge of the league's decision told USA TODAY Sports on Friday.

The person requested anonymity because the league had not made an announcement.

In doing so, thePac-12 joins the Big Ten in becoming the second Power Five conference to make a decisionthat could foreshadow similar changes across the entire Bowl Subdivision.

Paul Myerberg

Schools should prioritize safety and rely on local authorities inschool reopening plans, ajoint statementfrom associations of pediatricians, educators and superintendents says.

"Returning to school is important for the healthy development and well-being of children, but we must pursue re-opening in a way that is safe," says the statement from The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Federation of Teachers, the National Education AssociationandThe School Superintendents Association. "Science should drive decision-making on safely reopening schools."

The statement follows a push fromTrump to open schools across the nation andamid a nationwide debate over whether children should return to the classroom.

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Californiastate prisons, upto 8,000 currently incarcerated people could be released by the end of August, the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Friday.

"Too many people are incarcerated for too long in facilities that spread poor health. Supporting the health and safety of all Californians means releasing people unnecessarily incarcerated and transforming our justice system,"Jay Jordan, Executive Director ofCalifornians for Safety and Justice, said in a press release.

Since the start of the pandemic, the state has releasedabout 10,000 people, according to the state'sDepartment of Corrections.

Activists have repeatedly called on the governor to address the outbreak atSan Quentin prison, where more than 200 staff and more than 1,300 prisoners have active cases, and at least six inmates have died, according to local news reports.

Amid a resurgence of COVID-19 in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday that the state will reactivate its makeshift coronavirus hospital at a convention center in Atlanta.

The 200-bed temporary hospital at theGeorgia World Congress Centerwas constructed in April but wound down operations at the end of May.

Nearly 3,000 people have died and more than 111,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the state.

At least 47 students at UC Berkeley tested positive for the coronavirus in just one week, and most of the new cases stem from a series of Greek life parties, university officials said.

In a message to the campus community, UniversityHealth Services Medical Director Anna Harte and Assistant Vice Chancellor Guy Nicolette said it was "becoming harder to imagine bringing our campus community back in the way we are envisioning."

"Generally, these infections are directly related to social events where students have not followed basic safety measures such as physical distancing, wearing face coverings, limiting event size, and gathering outside," the officials wrote.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott begged Texans to mask up in a Friday interview with eastern Texas TV station CBS19, saying face coverings were "the only way"businesses could stay open.

"Its disappointing"that some local officials are refusing to enforce the states mask order, Abbott said. "If we do not all join together and unite in this one cause for a short period of time it will lead to the necessity of having to close Texas back down."

Abbott's ordereffective July 3 requires face masksin public spaces in counties with 20 or more active COVID-19 cases.The order does not apply to people eating,drinking, swimming orexercising or those under 10 years old.

Joel Shannon

West Virginia is among states with the fewest COVID-19 cases, but the state now has the highest coronavirus transmission rate in the country, the head of the state's coronavirus response said Friday.

"The virus is spreading faster person to person in West Virginia right now than in any other state in the country,"Dr. Clay Marsh.The state's "RT value" the average number of people who become infected by an infectious personis the highest in the nation, at 1.37, Marsh said. "We can see that COVID is starting in that logarithmic phase, that compounding phase."

The state has doubled its number of active cases in the last 10-14 days.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday expanded Michigan's mask-wearing requirements, effective Monday, saying that wearing masks is the best way to reverse an increase in coronavirus cases.

The order requires the use of face coverings in crowded outdoor spaces and reiterates that individuals are required to wear a face covering whenever they are in an indoor public space. The mandate also requires any business that is open to the public to refuse entry or service to people who refuse to wear a face covering, with limited exceptions.

Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press

Shutting down states in the early days of the US COVID-19 outbreak prevented at least 250,000 deaths and as many as 750,000-840,000 hospitalizations, a new study found. Shelter-in-place orders took about two weeks to show an effect on hospitalizations and three weeks to limit the number of deaths, according to the study by researchers at the University of Iowa and National Bureau of Economic Research.

The authors, who published their results in the journal Health Affairs, also found that deaths from causes other than COVID-19 might have increased if hospitals had become overwhelmed; slowing cases saved those lives, as well, they said.

"These estimates indicate that [stay in place orders] played a key role in flattening the curves not only for cases, but also for deaths and hospitalizations, and eased pressure on hospitals from avoided COVID-19 admissions," the authors conclude.

Karen Weintraub

All 50 states had visitors from Floridathis week, according to data that 15 million U.S. mobile device users provided to the data company Cuebiq. Applying Cuebiqs sample to the whole population, approximately 1.5 million Floridians are now setting up shop in other states.

Residents have left the state in increasing numbers at a time when the crisis there got worse. In early June, just 5% of the states residents appeared in other states. That number has ticked up every week.

Cuebiqs data, which is based on cell phone locations, shows that most interstate visitors from Florida appeared in other parts of the South. About 38% of the states travelers were in Georgia at least once during the week, for example. Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee also topped the list of destinations for visitors from the hard-struck state.

States outside the region saw big Florida influxes as well. New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio all had more than 50,000 visits from Florida residents in the most recent week of data, based on an extrapolation of the cell phone location data.

Matt Wynn

New data on the experimental drug remdesivir confirms it can shorten the course of COVID-19 infections and suggests it also can save lives.

Gilead Sciences, Inc., a California pharmaceutical company that makes the drug, revealed data Friday about nearly 400 patients in its late-stage clinical trial.

According to the results, 74% of patients treated with remdesivir had recovered by their 14th day of hospitalization, compared to 59% of those who did not get the drug. Nearly 8% of the patients on remdesivir had died by day 14, versus more than 12% of patients who did not receive it.

The study also found patients who took the drug hydroxychloroquine along with remdesivir fared worse than those on remdesivir alone. The company recommended against using the drugs in combination.

Remdesivir, an antiviral initially developed to treat Ebola, has not yet been approved for widespread use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but it has been given emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19 patients.

Karen Weintraub

Congestion, runny nose, nausea and diarrhea are the four most recent COVID-19 symptoms that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added to its growing list of potential signs of the novel coronavirus.

The CDC previously said symptoms include chills, fever, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a new loss of taste or smell. The agency now lists 11 symptoms on its website.

The additions come as health experts continue to learn more about the disease, and care for very ill COVID-19 patients is improving. Even so, the CDC states the current list doesn't include all possible symptoms for the virus.

Wyatte Grantham-Philips

Fifty-eight Major League Baseball players tested positive for the coronavirus upon reporting to their team, while an additional 13 tested positive after workouts began, according to data released by MLB on Friday.

Perhaps most disconcerting is that 10 teams reported positive test results during what MLB is calling "monitoring testing," meaning one-third of the league's teams had an infected player or staff member after workouts began last week.

Several teams have had workouts halted or curtailed while awaiting test results, and besides those testing positive, players who have come in contact with those testing positive have been temporarily sidelined, as well.

Gabe Lacques

As COVID-19 cases spikeacross, multiple states have taken measures to scale back their reopening plans. Here are some of the last moves:

Read more about states that arepause reopening or take new steps to slow the spread.

A Los Angeles Times report says that researchers are working on an upper-arm injection that would deliverantibody-rich blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors to provide potentially months of protection from the virus.

The approach is similar to one used for other diseases likehepatitis A and could be widely available across the United States, the Times reported.

However, the proposal has received push back from the federal government and pharmaceutical companies, who argue efforts in plasma-based therapy should focus on treating sick people rather than preventing infection, the Times report says.

Dr. Anthony Fauci told the newspaper that the research was promising but more work is needed to show thatcoronavirus antibodies work.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Friday he has not briefed President Donald Trump in at least two months and not seen him in person at the White House since June 2, despite a coronavirus resurgence that has strained hospitals and led several states to pause reopenings.

Fauci told the Financial Times he was "sure" his messages were sent to the president even though the two have not been in close contact in the past several weeks.

The comments from the Trump administration's director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases came as Trump has been critical of Fauci and spoken openly about issues on which they disagree.

In a Thursday interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Trump said Fauci had "made a lot of mistakes" but called him a "nice man." Trump also said "most cases" of coronavirus would "automatically cure. They automatically get better."

Fauci also in the FT interview said Trump was incorrect in claiming 99% of coronavirus cases were "harmless" and may have conflated some statistics.

Nicholas Wu

COVID survivors' main symptoms can linger for weeks or even months, causing pain, trouble breathing, nightmares and even organ failure. USA TODAY

Two scientists from the World Health Organization are traveling toBeijing on Friday to lay the groundwork for an investigation into the origins of the new coronavirus.

The researchers,an animal health expert and an epidemiologist, will work with counterparts in China to "look at whether or not it jumped from species to humanand what species it jumped from," WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris said.

The team will determine the logistics, locations and participantsfor a WHO-led international mission.

The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. Scientists believe the novel virusoriginated in bats, transferred to another mammal then jumpedto humans.

The Trump administration this week officially began withdrawing the United Statesfrom the WHO, of which President Donald Trump and his advisers have been sharply critical.

Americans are three times as likely to know someone in their community who has been sick with the coronavirus than they did in March, according to a new survey.

More than one-third of Americans (36%) say someone they know outside of their immediate family or work has been sick with the coronavirus, according to a new survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project. That number is more than triple the number in mid-March, when it was 11%.

The survey also showed Black (11%) and Latino (11%) Americans are more likely than white Americans (7%) to have had an immediate family member get sick, according to the survey. These racial differences were not apparent in the survey from March.

Rebecca Morin

Nearly half of Florida's intensive-care units are at least 90% full, and more than 1 in 5 are completely full, according to state data.

Hospitals are increasingly strained under COVID-19, andhospitalizations across the state have jumped more than 13% just since July 1. More than 17,100 Floridians have been hospitalized for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

A total of 95 hospital ICUs were at least 90% full Thursday, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. That's nearly half the 207 ICUs that the agency is tracking. At least 45 hospital ICUs were at capacity, and 46 others had only one bed available in the units.

At least 4,111 people in Florida have died from the virus, according to the state a figure that would have made it the ninth leading cause of death in Florida last year, according to Florida Department of Health statistics. Florida set a one-day record Thursday with 120 deaths. The previous high, 83, was in late April.

Frank Gluck, Fort Myers News-Press

The five largest medical centers in Mississippi have no ICU bed space for new patients coronavirus or otherwise and are being forced to turn patients away, even as COVID-19 continue to surge.

In some cases, patients are being sent to facilities out of state and as far away as New Orleans. In many hospitals, patients admitted to the ER are being forced to spend the night before they receive treatment.

"(Wednesday), five of our biggest hospitals in the state had zero ICU beds. Zero," State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said. "Our biggest medical institutions who take care of our sickest patients have no room."

The transition from shelter-in-place to where we currently stand, with the highest number of hospitalizations since the first reported case of the coronavirus virus on March 11, has left the state "wide open," said Dr. Louann Woodward, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs.

Justin Vicory, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

California is set to become the first state to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over anew policy that prevents international students from staying in the U.S. if their college or university switches to online-only classes in the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Go here to see the original:
Coronavirus updates: California to release 8,000 inmates; masks 'only way' to prevent another shutdown, Texas Gov. says - Times Record News

Actor Nick Cordero Has Died from COVID-19 Complications After 13 Weeks in the Hospital – Yahoo India News

Photo credit: Noam Galai - Getty Images

From Good Housekeeping

Nick Cordero's wife, Amanda Kloots, announced on Instagram that he has died from COVID-19 and related complications at age 41.

"God has another angel in heaven now. My darling husband passed away this morning. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.

I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere. My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him. Nick was such a bright light. He was everyones friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday.

To Nicks extraordinary doctor, Dr. David Ng, you were my positive doctor! There are not many doctors like you. Kind, smart, compassionate, assertive and always eager to listen to my crazy ideas or call yet another doctor for me for a second opinion. Youre a diamond in the rough.

I cannot begin to thank everyone enough for the outpour of love , support and help weve received these last 95 days. You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3pm everyday as the world sang Nicks song, Live Your Life. We sang it to him today, holding his hands. As I sang the last line to him, theyll give you hell but dont you light them kill your light not without a fight. Live your life, I smiled because he definitely put up a fight. I will love you forever and always my sweet man."

The Tony Award-nominated Broadway actor had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for more than three months after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Nick, who was also known for his recurring roles on Blue Bloods and Law & Order: SVU, had started stem cell treatment to help his recovery, Amanda shared in recent Instagram story.

Nick is survived by his wife, Amanda, and their 1-year-old son, Elvis.

You Might Also Like

Continued here:
Actor Nick Cordero Has Died from COVID-19 Complications After 13 Weeks in the Hospital - Yahoo India News

Ryan Anthony: A local trumpet prodigy who went on to play big stages and raise funds for cancer research – The San Diego Union-Tribune

To hear his wife tell it, world-renowned trumpeter Ryan Anthony was still planning his next musical project even as his body succumbed to a rare form of cancer.

I know that he always wanted more, Niki Anthony says. Up until the day before he passed, he was talking about the next recording he wanted to do. Even though he knew it was unlikely hed ever get out of the hospital, he always lived with hope.

In talking with his friends and family, Ryan Anthony, who passed away at a Dallas hospital on June 23 at the age of 51, was unceasingly hopeful throughout his life. From his days growing up a trumpet prodigy in San Diego to his final performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, he lived a life of filled with a sense of spirited optimism. A spirit he shared throughout a multifaceted career as a musician, educator and philanthropist.

From the time Ryan was born on May 17, 1969, people began to notice his innate attraction to music. Ryans older brother, RB Anthony, says that music was always playing in their familys East County home.

Music was with us from the beginning. We were both performing from an early age, says RB, who says Ryan began playing trumpet in elementary school. Our father had us with his music groups and out on marching fields from when we were 2 years old, so music was a natural thing to develop for us. We had some natural talent, but Ryan just knew what to do with it. Im a musician and I still enjoy it, but he knew how to practice it.

Ryans father, Roy, was the musical director at Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley, where Ryan also attended. At home, Ryan and RB would dutifully listen to recordings of Doc Severinsen, as well as big band music and movie scores. At 16, Ryan won the Seventeen Magazine & General Motors Concerto Competition.

Even back then, he was probably one of the best musicians in California and had the awards to prove it, says local drummer Jeffrey Lee Hawthorne, who was good friends with Ryan in high school. His musicianship at 16, 17 years old was already so far superior to anyone else. We knew he was going places.

After graduating high school, Ryan received a four-year scholarship to the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he earned two degrees. He went on to become a trumpet professor at the Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio.

Trumpeter Ryan Anthony

(Courtesy photo by Jeremy Lock)

One of Niki Anthonys earliest memories of Ryan was hearing him play trumpet at Lindenwood Christian Church in Memphis in 1992, where she performed with the church choir.

You could just hear a different sound in his tone and phrasing, remembers Niki. It was like you could hear the story behind the music even though there werent any words. As a singer, I always related to music a lot through words and text, so it was really something for me to pay attention to an instrumentalist and hear the story there.

While Ryan and Niki didnt begin dating until a few years later he was living in Salt lake City and she in Memphis she says she knew from the early days of their relationship that Ryans chosen profession would likely mean a life on the road and having to move around.

Still, even after they were married in 1997 and Ryan began touring with prestigious ensembles such as the Canadian Brass in 2000, Niki says she always wanted to remain supportive when it came to Ryans musical dreams.

For me, it was always important to let him have that freedom so he could be who he was, Niki says. His music was important to a lot of people, and that was important to me, too.

A few years after his appointment to the Canadian Brass, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Elizabeth (Lili). Four years later, they had a son, Rowan. At the same time, Ryan performed as a soloist with over 30 ensembles and played at dozens of music festivals all over the world.

Trumpeter Ryan Anthony

(Courtesy photo)

Life began to settle a bit for Ryan Anthony in 2004 when he accepted an invitation to join the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) as a guest principal trumpet. Within four years, he was promoted to principal trumpet in the orchestra.

When he first started playing with us, we quickly became aware of his extreme ability, both in his musicianship and his playing, says Kevin Finamore, a fellow trumpeter who met Ryan in 2005 when the two were performing together in the DSO.

The bigger the stage, the better he was, Finamore continues. Hes just a natural-born performer like no other.

Ryan Anthonys November 2012 diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer affecting the white blood cells, was terminal. He visited multiple doctors, but they all agreed that Ryan had about three years to live. He made it almost to eight years.

I remember the day he was diagnosed. He called me, and he told me he had decided that it wasnt going to break his spirit, Finamore says. Even to the end, he had a smile on his face. He would play through the pain. He would walk onstage, totally miserable, and some of the best playing he did was when he felt horrible. It was amazing.

In that time, between stem cell transplants and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, he continued to perform with the Dallas Symphony and, in 2013, toured as the guest principal trumpet with the San Diego Symphonys tour of China. In 2016, he became a professor of trumpet at Southern Methodist Universitys Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas.

There was something endearing and extremely real about Ryan, says Samuel Holland, the dean of the Meadows School. He goes on to point out that many of Ryans students would go on to land prestigious jobs in music. They could see through his own life that there was more than one way, because he had this one career as a soloist and another career as a chamber musician, and another as an orchestral musician and, ultimately, a philanthropic leader.

The latter came in 2014 in the form of the Ryan Anthony Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for blood cancer research. The organization would hold brass-based concerts called, appropriately enough, CancerBlows. Niki Anthony remembers the genesis of the foundation came when Ryan was recovering from his first stem cell transplant.

He began talking about how Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, and all these trumpet players hed played with, were calling him, Niki says. He told them that when he was healthy again, he just wanted to stand onstage with them and play again. We started joking about how a great name for this would be cancer blows and how that was funny, but then we thought why not do a concert? That would be a great celebration and a way to raise money.

The inaugural CancerBlows concerts in March 2015 featured performances from Sandoval and Severinsen, as well as members of the Canadian Brass and Dallas Symphony Orchestra. It raised over $1 million for various cancer charities.

For those who knew him, Ryans altruistic and hopeful outlook, even in the face of his own mortality, was what he was all about.

As CancerBlows became more of a thing and Ryan received more feedback from patients and their families saying that it helped them, that really fueled him, Niki says. That if he felt bad on a particular day, or didnt want to practice or play a concert, he would say, These people need me, too. For whatever reason, I have been given this, and I have a stage to provide a beacon of hope and comfort for them, and I should use it. They motivated him, and he motivated them in return.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Ryan Anthonys family plans to hold a public celebration of life at a later date. The family requests donations to CancerBlows and The Ryan Anthony Foundation.

Combs is a freelance writer.

Trumpeter Ryan Anthony

(Courtesy photo by Steve Roberts)

See the article here:
Ryan Anthony: A local trumpet prodigy who went on to play big stages and raise funds for cancer research - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The ‘Teeter-Totter’ of Blood Draws – Curetoday.com

Most of us never stop to think about how much information one little sample of blood can give us and our physicians.

She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.

I think most people dont think of blood other than if we are hurt, and it comes pouring out. After my cancer diagnosis, however, I learned the grave importance of the innocent-sounding CBC or complete blood count. I used to have one annually, and my PCP would use it to adjust my thyroid medicine, but that was all because it was positive in every other range.

The first red flag was when I presented with anemia after a routine blood test from my PCP. After several months of being on iron and with the blood counts going in the wrong direction, he was concerned enough to refer me to a hematologist/oncologist. She took eight vials of blood and could not find anything which made me cheer. Then, she told me there was a reason for my low blood count and ordered a bone marrow biopsy. This, through the bone marrow biopsy, was how I was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, and many blood cancers are diagnosed this way. I have had eighteen BMBs since then, with more to come, to see how cancer has progressed or gone into remission.

My lessons in reading and analyzing blood tests had begun.

For the past couple of years, I have gone in every single week. They first do the CBC. During the CBC or complete blood count, the white blood count is important, because these white cells are what fight off infection. Those of us with cancer know to be able to fight off infections is crucial for anyone who has a compromised immune system such as cancer. Sometimes it is cancer and other times the chemo which causes the low white blood count. I receive weekly shots of Zarxio to keep my white blood count from dropping drastically. They are never normal, but higher than they would be without the shots.

The red blood cells carry oxygen from the cells throughout our body. Hemoglobin counts are important because this is a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs. If these counts are low, we may have difficulty walking or breathing. These counts are trickier. The shots I take for this are Retacrit. Because of the danger of blood clots, insurance is very careful. They will only allow the shots if the Hemoglobin counts are below 10 and stop when they go above 12. Every week, the staff and I inspect these numbers very carefully. I have gone all the way to 12 and then had to wait until the count was below 10 before I start all over again.

Do I get tired of this? Absolutely it is hard for me to feel like I am tethered to the simple blood counts, not knowing if I am going to need the second shot or not. Zarxio is a given. Retacrit is like a teeter-totter. One time the nurse accidentally gave me the previous printout of blood work, and we thought it was too high for the Retacrit. Neither of us realized the error in the date of the blood work. Fortunately, my sharp oncologist caught it, and I had to go back the next day to start the series all over again. To be honest, I prefer it when I am on the Retacrit because I have more energy. Once I reach that threshold of 12, usually the hemoglobin starts back down, and I have to wait until I am really fatigued before I can take them again. I think almost every cancer patient knows about anemia and being tired all the time.

I faithfully have visited the hospital through COVID, no visitors, no valet service, the coffee shop shut down and huge changes. I have been there when the cancer center has been overwhelmed, many people trotting in and out, and normal times. I have been there when it is in between these two extremes because we are allowing some visitors now. It has been an interesting ride to be sure.

There are times as I trudge down the hallways and climb on the elevator that I am tired and weary of this. But I realize these shots are keeping me in remission and they are working. I could never get through it without the wonderful oncology nurses who are kind to me, and my great doctor, who keeps track of this for me. I am most appreciative.

However, I take responsibility myself for being familiar with these basic facts about blood counts. We are told when we are in remission, out of remission, which treatments when we need blood transfusions and chemo, when will be the next bone marrow biopsies, and if we can undergo stem cell and bone marrow transplants. All of these decisions are centered on these blood counts. It is amazing what our doctors can learn from one simple test that takes a tiny sample of our blood in under a minute. It is worthwhile to take the time to understand how important this is. Being informed is beneficial to all of us!

See the original post:
The 'Teeter-Totter' of Blood Draws - Curetoday.com

In the middle of pandemic, this young mom fights second cancer diagnosis – Omaha World-Herald

MINNEAPOLIS Taylor Bustos rubbed her newly shaved head in the dimly lit basement of her temporary Rochester, Minn., home as an intrepid thought seized her. "This better freaking be the last time."

Two years ago, Bustos was happy. She was 20, recently married and had just found out she was pregnant with her first child. Taylor and her husband, Mark, 21, envisioned moving from Duluth to California and raising half a dozen kids. But those plans would have to wait.

Five months into her pregnancy, Bustos felt a lump on her neck. On Oct. 5, 2018, just a month after giving birth to her son, Solomon, she was diagnosed with nodular sclerosis classical Hodgkins lymphoma. It's the most common type of Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that affects the body's immune system.

"I was told, 'This is the good cancer, it's curable'," Bustos said. She underwent six months of chemotherapy at St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Associates in Duluth and was declared in remission in April 2019. After that, life went pretty much back to normal.

But last November, just before her first follow-up PET CT scan, Bustos prepared for the worst. A few weeks earlier, she had felt the lump in her neck return.

Soon later, she was back at St. Luke's, prepared to receive whatever news may come. Mark tossed a bright pink ball to Solomon to distract the boy and himself from the mounting anxiety as they waited for what felt like an eternity in the small examination room.

The young father was also trying to manage his stress from recently learning he was being laid off from his construction job. The doctor finally stepped in.

"I'm sitting there with a one-year-old and my husband of two years and they're telling me at 22 years old that I have cancer for the second time," Bustos said.

She had gone into the meeting with the mind-set that she would never endure chemotherapy again. "It was physically and mentally unlike any other suffering I've ever gone through in my life ... and I didn't want to willingly say yes to going back there," Bustos said.

After a week of thinking and praying, Bustos stumbled across a Facebook post from a friend who had recently lost his father in a house fire. His words resonated so deeply with her that she decided she couldn't just lay down and die. "This cancer could kill me, but don't I want my sweet son to know I tried?" she said.

Once again, she went in for treatments, then slept for three days. The big difference this time was that, to make sure the cancer never came back, she was going to have to follow the doctors' next recommendation.

On March 2, the Bustos family picked up and moved 200 miles across the state to Rochester for three months where she would undergo some of the most toxic chemotherapy available at the Mayo Clinic. The mix was so potent that she had to first undergo a stem cell collection; those stem cells would be transplanted afterward to regrow her immune system and other healthy cells decimated by the chemo.

Mark's layoff, which at first seemed like a disaster, was now a gift. He could assume a larger role as the family caretaker. Some people might call that luck, but the Bustos's don't believe in luck. For them, it was an act of God.

When it came time to move, Taylor's parents, Pam and Jerry, who live across the street from the Bustoses in Duluth, moved with them to help take care of Solomon and Taylor.

"It really wasn't a difficult decision," said Jerry, who is a warehouse operator at a Duluth paper supply business.

"For me," he said, "I would do whatever it takes to get her healthy."

Their family squeezed as much as they could into their two cars, boxes stacked to the roof, rendering the rearview mirror useless. The family settled into a small house only a mile away from the Mayo Clinic.

Just over a week later, COVID-19 hit.

"We knew I'd have a weakened immune system and we'd have to quarantine," Bustos said, "but suddenly the whole world had to quarantine, too."

They stayed closely connected with their church through video chat and live streams. In solidarity, her entire family shaved their heads along with Bustos.

A little over a month after moving, Bustos prepared for her most difficult round of chemotherapy. All the effects of normal chemo, including nausea, exhaustion, loss of appetite and body pain would be amplified. And because of the coronavirus, she would be doing it alone. She packed her keyboard piano, a week's worth of clothes, a few mementos from home and headed to the hospital. She would have to stay in a heavily filtered room by herself for a full week as she underwent treatment.

Masked nurses came and went as Bustos tried to picture what they looked like under all the PPE. Most days, she felt immensely lonely and sad. Originally, she was told she'd be able to go home to see her family for one hour per day. The pandemic scrapped those plans. "I would cry ... and nurses couldn't put their hand on my shoulder to tell me, 'It's OK,' because of the coronavirus," Bustos said.

When she was finally able to return to her family a full week later, Bustos was ecstatic. "To be able to be hugged was a very welcome relief from despair," she said.

She began to try and process what had happened to her over the last five months. She felt distant from and misunderstood by nearly everyone around her. "It can look like it's going well from the outside but when you literally want to die, the emotional side of things needs to be handled," she said.

Bustos has since begun therapy and is taking anti-depressants to help manage her mental pain.

As the family moved out of Rochester, the snow was gone. Birds chirped and flowers bloomed; a sign of rebirth and a new beginning.

When they pulled up in front of their apartment in Duluth, chalk drawings graced their sidewalk welcoming them home. Their front door was covered in balloons and a welcome banner was strung across the door frame, all put together by members of Bustos's church youth group.

Bustos collapsed on her old bed. She thought she'd feel different in their own apartment, but it oddly felt the same. She had come to realize that home was no longer a physical space. Cancer changed that.

"Home for me has become Mark and Solomon," she said, "and so whether we're in Rochester, Duluth or Timbuktu, I'm home when I'm with them."

Read more:
In the middle of pandemic, this young mom fights second cancer diagnosis - Omaha World-Herald

R3 International Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy Program for Crohns Disease, IBD and Ulcerative Colitis – PR Web

Stem Cell Therapy for Crohns Disease and IBD in Mexico (888) 988-0515

SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) July 08, 2020

R3 International is now offering effective stem cell therapy for Crohns disease, Ulcerative Colitis and IBD with a new program in Mexico. The new program provides up to 200 million stem cells for patients, with treatment starting at only $2975.

Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from chronic abdominal issues that affect every aspect of daily life and lead to difficulty with functioning. Traditional treatments are often insufficient and entail significant side effects.

According to R3 CEO David Greene, MD, MBA, "Stem cell therapy for Crohns, UC and IBD is not only safe and effective, but you don't have the bad side effects like you do with traditional drugs. We've been very successful in Mexico because the therapies are not only clinically and cost effective, but we offer very high numbers of stem cells for pricing exponentially less than the US, Panama or others!"

Studies on stem cell therapy for inflammatory diseases such as Crohns are showing that they are highly effective at regulating one's immune response (Nat Rev Nephrol 2018). This typically helps reduce flare ups and pain in patients, helping to increase quality of life tremendously.

Since R3 Stem Cell International opened in Tijuana, outcomes for these inflammatory conditions have been tremendous, with patients receiving anywhere from 30 million to 200 million stem cells.

The cells offered at R3 International come from a lab with a perfect safety record and quality assurance standards that exceed those of the FDA. No preservative is necessary, so the cell viability for the biologic exceeds 95% typically.

According to CEO Dr. Greene, "We made sure to partner with a lab that has a perfect safety record and only cultures cells between three and five generations. This means counts are high, and so is the potency of the cells!"

The treatment process starts with a free phone consultation with one of R3's licensed, experienced stem cell doctors. Once the treatment recommendation is made and the procedure is scheduled, the patient's designated concierge representative will assist with travel logistics. Transportation is included to and from the clinic from San Diego International Airport, which is only 20 minutes away.

Treatment starts at $2975 for 30 million live stem cells, and goes up $1000 for a total of 50 million. If a patient desires, a five day stay will include three treatments totaling 150 to 200 million stem cells. Or there is an option for four visits over a year as well, both starting at $8975 all inclusive.

To start the seamless process of obtaining treatment, visit for more information and call (888) 988-0515 to schedule the phone consultation.

Share article on social media or email:

Originally posted here:
R3 International Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy Program for Crohns Disease, IBD and Ulcerative Colitis - PR Web

Eucalyptus necklace and other unproven Covid-19 cures raise alarm in Indonesia – The Star Online

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): A minister touted a necklace made of eucalyptus, while researchers, including from the national intelligence agency, announced the discovery of a combination of drugs and cutting-edge stem cell therapies.

These were among a litany of claims of Covid-19 cures in Indonesia that have alarmed doctors and the consumer protection foundation.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), in a letter earlier this month to State Secretary Pratikno, expressed concerns over plans to produce anti-coronavirus medicines that had not passed clinical trials. The State Secretary is a key aide to President Joko Widodo and is involved in the day-to-day running of the government.

In Indonesia, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the equivalent of the United States Food and Drug Administration, conducts extensive clinical trials to ensure the safety and efficacy of any proposed new drug.

Last month, researchers at Airlangga University in East Java province and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) announced the discovery of five combinations of drugs to fight Covid-19, as well as two types of stem cell therapies that reportedly inhibit the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

The announcement was criticised by doctors, who were also perplexed by the involvement of an intelligence agency in a medical endeavour.

Responding to the joint announcement by BIN and the university, Dr Pandu Riono, who teaches at the University of Indonesia's medical school, issued a reminder that public safety should remain paramount even during an emergency situation such as a pandemic.

He also appealed to government agencies to operate within their respective spheres and never to ignore science.

YLKI chairman Tulus Abadi noted that many of the claims of Covid-19 cures increasingly being circulated were, in fact,"unlicensed and whose effectiveness has not been scientifically proven".

"BPOM must increase monitoring and warn the parties making such claims that they are not based on required clinical trials. Even if the claim was made by a minister," he said.

Last week, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo announced that his ministry would begin mass producing an anti-Covid-19 necklace made of eucalyptus in August. He claimed that it could kill 80 per cent of the virus in a patient in just half an hour.

A few days later, the ministry's research and development head, Fadjry Djufry, backtracked, saying that the products - which included hand-held inhalers and roll-ons - were merely for aromatherapy.

He said they would not be labelled as anti-viral, although they could treat known Covid-19 symptoms such as shortness of breath.

In a recent webinar involving medical doctors, Dr Lucia Rizka Andalusia, the drug registration director at BPOM, said the agency would not close the door to creativity in efforts to find and use effective herbal traditional medicines against Covid-19, but emphasised that it must ensure safety.

But the chairman of the independent Indonesian Doctors Council, Dr Sukman Tulus, issued a warning to his colleagues.

Administering drugs, herbal medicines and traditional healing substances that are "not yet licensed and do not have clear standards would amount to a breach of professional duty and even a breach of law" for medical doctors, he said. - The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

See more here:
Eucalyptus necklace and other unproven Covid-19 cures raise alarm in Indonesia - The Star Online