RJA #15 Reflection

This has been an interesting class for me this semester and I appreciate what I have learned. As difficult as it was for me sometimes I am grateful to have learned so much about sources available on the Internet, especially with regards to search engines. I can’t even begin to say how much I have and will continue to utilize the delicious bookmarking and zakta websites in my future work both for school and also in my career.

I have dedicated a lot of time to this class this semester, but I have truly enjoyed the sense of accomplishment I have had. I have particularly enjoyed sharing some of these useful Internet tools with my kids who are also getting their degrees.

I had a lot of fun learning about stem cell therapy as my topic of study. I had no real knowledge of stem cells and so I did a lot of research in order to grasp an understanding of what stem cells were capable of and why they are so controversial. I enjoyed the research part of the project probably more than the actual writing but I learned a great deal which I hope to be able to keep up with and share with others.

RJA #14b:Application Project References

Cell Medicine. (2007, July 28). Adult stem cell therapy for cerebral palsy. [Video file] Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egRxgUXDN4Y

Cell Medicine. (2004-2008). Stem cell therapy for cerebral palsy. Cell Medicine.

[Web] Retrieved 24 March 2010, from http://www.cellmedicine.com/cerebralpalsy.asp

H. Covington, personal communication, March 24, 2010.

Kids Health Online Magazine. (2009, April). Cerebral Palsy. Reviewed by S. J. Bachrach, MD. [Web] Retrieved 20 April 2010, from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/cerebral_palsy.html

XCell-Center at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine. (2007-2010). Overview of our stem cell treatment. Adult stem cell therapy. [Web] Retrieved 5 April 2010, from http://www.xcell- center.com/treatments/overview.aspx

RJA #14a: Project Progress Report

I am planning to write a newspaper article for my application project. The article will be centered on the personal interview I did with Drew Covington. Drew suffers with cerebral palsy and though he has some mild physical problems from the disease, he mainly suffers with brain function. In the article I will review what cerebral palsy is, what types of problems Drew suffers from and why stem cells treatment is an option that he and his parents have chosen to do.

So far I have outlined the basic topics I want to cover in my newspaper article. I have the draft in the form I want it in and I have written some of the text. I have also found the five sources I will be using.

I would like to get a picture of Drew, since he will be the focus of the article. I have to continue the writing of the draft and I need to do the essay for the project and learn about APA formatting style.

RJA #13c: Application Project Example

Major Grant Will Facilitate Cord Blood Research for Cerebral Palsy at Duke University

Posted: Mar 18, 2010

The Robertson Foundation has given $10.2 million to Duke University that will help facilitate studies evaluating cord blood stem cells infusions for newborns with various conditions including brain injuries suffered at birth, like cerebral palsy, as well as congenital heart disease and forms of cancer.

Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, director of Duke’s Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, and her research team have spent decades investigating the therapeutic use of umbilical cord blood stem cells.

“The emerging field of regenerative medicine has great promise, and this generous gift will accelerate the pace of Dr. Kurtzberg’s and other Duke scientists’ world-renowned, translational work in cell therapies,” said Dr. Victor Dzau, chief executive of the Duke University Health System.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells, normally discarded after birth, have the ability to grow and develop into various types of cells throughout the body. They can be harvested after birth and stored for future transplant in patients with many types of blood disorders, and increasingly, other diseases as well.

“Dr. Kurtzberg’s research reflects the kind of transformational science that has the potential to change the lives of thousands of people throughout the country and around the world,” Julian Robertson, of the Robertson Foundation, said in a statement.

“This gift comes at such an important time because it will enable us to move forward with the first placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in children with (cerebral palsy) that has been specifically designed to answer key questions about the efficacy of cord blood treatments in children with this condition,” Kurtzberg said in a statement.

This particular example of a newspaper article helped me to realize that newspaper articles need to be effective and concise in their wording. Each paragraph should contain elements of interest without lengthy verbage. The title needs to be eye catching and the piece packed with information that leaves the reader wanting to know more about the story being told. I chose this piece specifically because it deals with stem cell therapy and cerebral palsy which is what my article is dealing with as well. I also think having a small photo with the article adds a nice touch, something that people will stop to look at but which does not add length to the piece.

RJA #13b: Application Project

I plan to write a newspaper article focusing on stem cell therapy and cerebral palsy. Since my primary research was an interview dealing with a young boy, Drew Covington, who suffers from cerebral palsy and is going to have stem cell therapy done at the XCell Center in Germany this July, I thought this would make a good newspaper piece. In the article I will focus on Drew and what kinds of problems he is faced with because of his cerebral palsy. Why his parents chose to go ahead with stem cell therapy and what was necessary for them to do in order to be accepted into the program at the XCell Center. The article will touch on what kind of procedure is done at the center for their cerebral palsy patients and what Drew may or may not expect from his treatment there.

RJA #13a: Word Cloud

RJA #12b: Field Research Report

My stem cell therapy research paper included 2 primary resources. I first interviewed a family that has a child with Cerebral Palsy. Most of the information was gathered from his mother. Her son, Drew is undergoing stem cell therapy in Germany in July he is 10.

I asked her the following questions:

Why have you and your husband decided to have Drew undergo this therapy?

What made you think the XCell Center in Germany was a good choice?

What type of Cerebral Palsy does Drew suffer from?

What symptoms of his Cerebral Palsy are you hoping to see improvements in?

Did you first talk to any medical professional about doing this treatment?

What did his doctor say, did he know of the XCell Center?

What kinds of tests did he have to undergo to be eligible for the program?

Where did he do the tests, how long did it take for the center to let you know you had been approved?

How expensive is the treatment, how long will you have to be there?

What exactly is the treatment that they will perform on Drew?

What have you told him about the treatment?

Did you feel the center was realistic about what he/you might expect from this treatment?

My second primary resource was an interview with Dr. Steven Grover, head of the OBGYN Center at Skyridge Medical Center. My questions to Dr. Grover dealt with the banking of umbilical cord blood.

I asked him the following questions:

What is you opinion of cord blood banking?

How many of your patients do cord blood banking?

What is the cost to bank the cord blood cells?

Do you think the cost is too high?

Do you think the cost is reasonable?

Have you ever banked cord blood for your children?

Do you recommend to your patients to bank their child’s cord blood?

Do you think it is wise to bank these cells?

What do you see happening with cord blood cells for the future?

Do you think cord blood banking would save lives?