I recently attended a stem cell awareness seminar in Tampa. There were four doctors on the program, including our own Dr. David Klein, an ophthalmologist from Port Charlotte.

Testimonials were given by many describing their experience with stem cell therapy. There were numerous stories, however, they all had a common theme: Hope. Not only for an improvement in their lives, but possibly an outright cure for their condition.

Eye health was the topic of many of the testimonies. In particular, children who were born blind because of optic nerve hypoplasia.

Braden Hart, from Mo., was there to offer his story. He was diagnosed as legally blind in 1995. The doctors went on to say that there is no known treatment for optic nerve hypoplasia and nothing could be done to help improve his sight. His vision was 20/400 in the right eye and limited light perception in the left eye.

His father, Brad was searching for medical answers in 2007, and read about a girl from Mo. with the same condition as Braden who had traveled to China for an experimental stem cell procedure. After hearing the improvements the mother hoped her child would have, Brad was finally hopeful.

Stem cell procedures are not FDA approved in the United States — the procedure in China used umbilical cord cells — not the controversial embryonic stem cells. Deciding to travel halfway around the world was not an easy decision to make. The expense alone could be prohibitive.

Brad turned to his community for help and the people of Hermann had the insight to see past the stigma of stem cells, and the money came.

In June of 2008 after raising enough for the treatment and enduring a 23 hour flight, Braden and Brad arrived in Qingdao, China. For the following month Chengyang People’s Hospital would be Braden and Brad’s home.

He received four lumbar punctures and one IV injection. With no guarantee of progress, Brad was optimistic.

Braden returned with no optic improvements. In November Braden went to his doctor only to be told that his vision was still 20/400 in his right eye.

Last May, Braden’s vision report showed his acuity had improved to 20/100 and his optic photo’s showed a robust blood flow to the nerve and a pinker, plumper nerve.

In July 2010 Braden’s examination by Dr. Larry Brothers showed his visual acuity had improved in the right eye to 20/60 and 20/240 in the left eye.

Braden is now a freshman in high school and is the manager of the football team. Next year he hopes that he will make the team and be playing football. Like most teenagers he is looking forward to the day when he will get his drivers license, something that just three years ago was not in the realm of possibility.

Braden’s experience is being realized time and again for those able to raise the 30 to 50 thousand dollars necessary to fly to China for the procedure.

Our super cautious FDA denies our citizens the right to have this procedure in this country. Adult stem cell therapy has to be dealt with apart from embryonic stem cell therapy.

Adult stem cells are obtained from umbilical cords (medical waste) and from our own bodies — either from the blood or from bone marrow. Adult stem cells have had great success and with virtually no negative side effects.

Yet, we still seem to get the knee jerk reaction on stem cell research and use because people tie it to abortion and killing babies.

Nothing could be further from the truth when we are talking about adult stem cells.