WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Shepherdsville child returns home after stem cell treatment in China

Shepherdsville child returns home after stem cell treatment in China

By Lindsay English - bio | email 
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - WAVE 3 has been following the Goranflo family of Shepherdsville on their journey to take their two children to China for stem cell treatment not available here in the U.S. Both 5-year-old Hailey and 3-year-old Carter suffer from a rare condition called Batten disease.

Hailey, and her mom Miranda, have just returned from a seven week trip to China for the first round of treatment and all four members of the Goranflo family - Hailey, Miranda, Neil and Carter - are happy to finally be back under one roof.

"It was much more than we ever expected," said Miranda Goranflo.

She and Hailey returned home to Shepherdsville around 2:30 a.m. Thursday after seven weeks in Beijing, China.

"Going there, we weren't expecting very much. We didn't want to get our hopes up too high and be let down," said Miranda.

And they weren't. The Goranflo's say the decision to take Hailey to China to receive stem cell treatment that isn't available in the U.S. was the best one they could have made. They say Hailey's stronger and more alert. She's more relaxed and breathes better, without an oxygen machine. But the biggest improvement they have seen is the dramatic decrease in the number of seizures she now has.

"Before we left, she was having hundreds a day, so many that you couldn't even keep count. Now she has maybe 5, sometimes on a bad day she'll have ten seizures. It is an amazing improvement," says Miranda.

She says Hailey's treatment went beyond just stem cells. She had sessions with a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, daily massages and rigorous physical therapy.

"Now, when I play with her, sing to her, read to her she tries to vocalize to me. She just has a completely different facial expression her eyes just light up and just looks like she feels so much better," Miranda says.

Meanwhile, Hailey isn't the family's only concern. The Goranflo's are also looking into treatment options for 3-year-old Carter. He also has Batten's Disease. Although his symptoms aren't yet as severe, the disease could take over his body as it has his sister's. The Goranflo's are waiting to hear if Carter has been accepted into a clinical trial at Cornell University.

"We are very worried about Carter getting treatments and we've back and forth on whether we should go with plans to take him to China or if we should just wait and count on the trial," Miranda said.

Whatever it takes, raising more money, making more trips half-way around the world, the Goranflo's say they won't give up on their children.

"What other parent wouldn't do the same for their child? I would do it over and over again," Miranda said.

The Goranflo's are already planning to take Hailey back to China for at least two more rounds of treatment with the next one likely in December. Meanwhile, fundraising events continues. There are two events, one in LaGrange on September 11th and another in Bullitt County on September 27th.

For more information on the Goranflo's and their story, visit their website at www.haileyandcartersdream.com.