THE FAMILY of a baby girl travelling to China for stem-cell injections defended their decision to seek treatment abroad before departing Ireland yesterday.
Eight month old Gretta Kieran Cullen suffers from a rare condition, Septo-Optic Dysplasia (SOD), causing blindness, hormone deficiencies and low muscle tone.
The family left Dublin airport yesterday and will arrive tomorrow night in China, where Gretta will receive a course of eight stem-cell injections over the course of the next four weeks.
The baby’s mother, Maria Kieran, defended the family’s choice to opt for the controversial treatment, which is set to cost €60,000.
“We are fully aware that people warn against doing this because of the cost and the risk that it will not do wonders for Gretta.
“We know that there is a chance that it will make no difference at all, but that’s a risk we are willing to take.
“We want to do everything we can to give our baby the best chance at life she can have.
“This is not something we are going into blindly,” she said.
“I have spent months researching this topic, we have spoken at length with doctors in China and we have spoken to others who have been in the same situation, so we know what we are getting into and we know the risks,” Ms Kieran said. Gretta will be the first child from the Republic to receive stem-cell treatment in China for the condition.
The family, from Termonfeckin in Co Louth, is travelling to a medical facility in Qingdao, almost 900km south of Beijing, where the baby will be assessed by doctors on Friday.
“It doesn’t matter if people say it’s a money-making racket or not, for us, there is no other option,” said Ms Kieran.
“There is no further treatment available for Gretta in Ireland that could improve her condition. We have spoken to others that have gone to the same hospital . . . and we are very hopeful.”
Gretta will receive the stem-cell injections at Beike Biotechnology facility, a Chinese stem-cell storage and processing company that has claimed to have completed 24 successful stem-cell operations.
Following the assessment, it is hoped the first stem cells can be administered on Monday, beginning a gruelling 35-day process.
It is hoped the innovative treatment will help the child’s vision, which has suffered as a result of a condition secondary to the primary diagnosis, Optic Nerve Hypoplasia – which results in underdevelopment of the optic nerves.
The impact of the treatment will be assessed when Gretta returns to Ireland for an MRI scan.