REASON FOR TREATMENT:
When Joey turned 7 years old, his mother started noticing that he has become very clumsy. He began falling down and his gait was affected. Joey's family physician sent him to a neurologist, and he was diagnosed as suffering from Friedreich's Ataxia, a disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system.
Throughout the years, the disease progressed slowly, but took a faster pace when Joey turned 15. As a teenager, Joey used to play sports, and be very active, but with the progression of his disease he became wheelchair bound and at the age of 18had to let go of his sport activities.
DIAGNOSIS: 1991 FRIEDREICH'S ATAXIA
BEGINNING OF TREATMENT: February 2009
CONDITION BEFORE THE TREATMENT:
See Videos: before1.wmv, before2.wmv,
Because of his disease, Joey could not walk or stand by himself anymore.
Joey came to the hospital with severe scoliosis (his spine is curved from side to side, like the letter "s").
The disease has affected Joey's speech, which became slurred. His eye sight has deteriorated, and he now wears glasses, and has difficulty with eye tracking. Although Joey could still feed and dress himself, his fine motor skills have slowed to a point until he wasn't able to write and draw. He has lost the ability to move his feet, and he is using a manual wheelchair in order to exercise his upper body.
His back, stomach and legs muscles have deteriorated up to a point where Joey had to support himself with his arms in order to sit up.
Joey felt he didn't have a life anymore. He tried to stay positive, but would sometimes fall into depression, since he could see his disease progress quite significantly over a short period of time.
AFTER THE TREATMENT:
See Videos:after1.wmv, after2.wmv, after3.wmv
Joey's trunk muscle strength has improved. His speech is now better- clearer and faster than before the treatment. Joey has noticed a little bit of an improvement in his eye sight- he now uses his eye glasses when he's using his computer. Joey now can lift his legs more easily, and he has gained some of the feeling in his limbs back.
The arches in Joey's feet have gone down, which now enables him to stand up to 30 minutes, something he wasn't able to do for the last 6 years.
Joey's sensation of pain and temperature has improved. His back and stomach muscle tone has increased. His coordination has improved as well.
One of the things Joey is looking forward to is going back home, and raising money for another Cell Therapy implantation.
On his way back home Joey says:" I'm coming back!"and he says it with a huge smile on his face. | 
