Posted by Another Mom on June 02, 1999 at 10:58:57:
In Reply to: Where is JDF? Check this out!! posted by Mary E. on June 01, 1999 at 21:06:33:
Mary, I checked out the link and sat here and cried like a baby at the news! This morning I called DRI and am expecting a call back later today. They did tell me that there will be a major press conference today at 11AM.
However I do have a question that maybe someone on the board may be able to answer or point me in the right direction to find out.
Transplanting the islet cells without need of immunesuppresants is a miracle...still for those of us with a young child who has not been diagnosed for a long period of time...even with the transplant done sucessfully, what will protect the new islets from the islet cell antibodies that still exist in someone who has just been recently diagnosed?
Does anyone know how or if the islet cell antibodies will be addressed in this scenario? I read somewhere that another doctor is studying a vacine that will stop the antibodies...would there perhaps be a collaboration in using this same procedure with the transplants for the recently diagnosed in order to protect the new islets?
Maybe I'm jumping the gun on this one, but bear with me in that this is the most hope I've had in a long time.
Also, does anyone have any idea of the approximate or estimated cost of the transplants? Will insurance cover it or nix it as being cheaper to maintain on insulin?
I have a million questions, a million fears, a million hopes...now I just need some answers to verify that my hopes for my child are justified.