KY Girl Headed To China For Treatment

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Posted: 11:53 AM Jul 8, 2008
Last Updated: 6:56 PM Jul 8, 2008

10 comments

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You hear about people coming to the United States all the time for specialized medical treatment, but one Bullitt County mother has taken her five-year-old daughter to China, hoping to save her life.

Hailey Goranflo is heading to China to undergo a series of controversial stem cell implants. It is costly but could dramatically improve her life.

She has Batten Disease; her brother also suffers from the condition which can leave children blind, demented or cause them to suffer from seizures.

Hailey Goranflo will spend seven weeks in China, where she'll undergo a series of stem cell implants that could reverse the progress of her disease.

The use of embryonic stem cells is not available in this country.

Community members banded together to raise the $88,000 necessary for Hailey and her brother to seek treatment in China.

Hailey will be only the fifth child with Batten Disease to undergo this treatment.

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Posted by: Cassie Location: Hazard on Jul 11, 2008 at 12:27 AM
I hope that everything works for this family, I fill your pain, I will keep you and your daughter and son in my pray. And if medicad can't pay for something like this, they why do we even need it? To me this would be the time that you would need it the most, and they should do everything in their powers to help you all in your time of need. But they probably would if it was one of their own. I hope that she gets everything she and you need to help her proper in life. God bless you all!

Posted by: Steve Location: Lexington on Jul 10, 2008 at 09:14 PM
I really feel for this family and tell them to do whatever it takes to help their child. If our government lost its edge on medical technology over a religious argument, then go where they care more about real, live people than they do about political BS. It's a shame that in this nation, there are strains and strains of stem cells thrown away into the trash daily due to in-vitro and other procedures that create "extras", but even then the right-wingers would rather it be destroyed and thrown away than to help save a citizen's life. At what point did We The People decide that we didn't care about people and would rather throw them in the trash than to save their lives? It's time to VOTE OUT EVERYONE in our CONGRESS, STATE HOUSE, and STATE SENATE, and show them that WE have the power, not them and they are NOT LISTENING to us. A VAST majority of people are in favor of using these "waste" stem cells for research yet holier-than-thou people in Congress refuse to listen. Get rid of em

Posted by: Another Batten Mom Location: NJ on Jul 10, 2008 at 06:36 AM
Heather is right about the need to educate part - this whole ordeal would probably have been avoided. My son died from Batten Disease at age 8 - his congestion sounded like bronchitis year round but it was 'normal'. As far as the US studies, they limit the # of kids- that's stupid because there aren't that many kids with this, and how the heck do you turn away newly diagnosed kids for the study? Little Carter is still mobile and doing everything - if you're going to halt progression, why not make cases like his the priority, before they get to the state Hailey is in? These treatments were not available when my Christopher was alive 4 years ago - I admire Miranda's determination to try anything. God Bless them and ALL the children suffereing with Batten Disease.

Posted by: EKY MOM Location: KY on Jul 9, 2008 at 02:33 PM
To Tripleltt: Medicaid won't cover it because the USA does not allow the use of Embryotic Stem Cells. Apparently the politicans who think they know what's best for everyone- decided that a child's life is not as important as an attempt to be politically correct.

Posted by: Darlene Location: KY on Jul 9, 2008 at 09:47 AM
I will be praying for the children and the parents. I hope that if anyone is critisizing these parents know that this same thing could happen to you. It's sad that people are not more understanding. May God put his healing hand on these people and heal them. God Bless you all.

Posted by: Lcu Location: Lexington on Jul 9, 2008 at 04:20 AM
She wouldn't have had to go to China if our country would allow the use of embryotic stem cells. But on "moral grounds" (what happened to the seperation between church and state?) our current administration in our "forward thinking" country is unwillingly to allow scientific research that one of the most dictated countries in the world allows. If this isn't messed up, what is?

Posted by: Triplett on Jul 8, 2008 at 10:45 PM
why won't Medicaid cover this in the USA?

Posted by: Heather Location: KY on Jul 8, 2008 at 05:22 PM
It is sad that they have to travel so far just to try to keep their little girl alive. If so much money weren't being spent on wasteful things (and no, I am not talking about JUST the Iraq war) so much more money could be spent in this country trying to find treatments for many diseases, not to mention for education to EDUCATE the potential physicians and researchers. Sad.....

Posted by: kymom Location: lexington on Jul 8, 2008 at 03:55 PM
I hope and pray that God heals this little girl. I would go anywhere to help any of my babies if they were sick. My prayers will be with this family as they go through this. May God bless them.

Posted by: 123 Location: 02120000 on Jul 8, 2008 at 03:53 PM
aww thats good that there going to china

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 8, 2008 at 12:21 PM
good for her. I am glad that her parents are able willing to go to any lengths to save their child.

Posted by: tabatha Location: frankfort on Jul 8, 2008 at 12:13 PM
I saw this on the news last night and it just broke my heart... i pray that she gets the right treatment and that she gets better along with her brother...her mom said people where downgrading them because thier desicion to go to china. i think thier doing what they think is best and i hope everything goes well..thier family will be in my prayers everyday.

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