Stand Against Cerebral Palsy

"We were so relieved that we had Chloe's cord blood."
- Ryan and Jenny Levine

Mysterious affliction

Chloe Levine was born a healthy girl. At least that"s what everyone thought. However, at 9 months old, Chloe couldn't use her right hand or raise it above her head. Instead of crawling, she would drag her right leg behind her.

When Chloe was a year old, she was diagnosed with a type of brain injury—cerebral palsy—that caused paralysis on the right side of her body. Chloe's physician believes it was caused by a stroke she suffered before she was born. Her parents, Ryan and Jenny Levine, were devastated. "It totally crushed us." But they weren't ready to give up hope.

Hope with cord blood

Fortunately, the Levines had stored Chloe's cord blood stem cells with CBR so she was able to undergo an experimental stem cell infusion. After Chloe's infusion, in conjunction with her regular therapies, "things started happening that she could never do before. Her progress has been dramatic," Jenny said.

A new day

Today, Chloe can use her right hand to catch a ball, she can run – fast, and has begun school at her own grade level. It is not clear what role Chloe's stem cell infusion may have played in her progress, but the Levines are so thankful they had Chloe's cord blood for the experimental treatment: "Our decision to bank Chloe's cord blood with CBR was the best decision that we will ever make."

Researchers continue to conduct clinical trials to determine if stem cells may help treat brain injuries like Chloe's.