“My daughter, Parker, was diagnosed at our 18 week anatomy scan with severe hydrocephalus. She was born at 32 weeks and 6 days, and had to have a shunt placed as her head was filled with fluid and her brain was significantly compressed.
At that time, she had Nystagmus (shaking of the eyes) and was also diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. We were told she would be significantly visually impaired, if not blind. Our Neonatologist discharged us early at 4 weeks with a tube for feeding and sent us to Duke for our first infusion. Her words were very biting when we left the hospital. She said, “Parker will never mentally develop past infancy.” We had autologous infusions (using her own cord blood) in 9/2008 and 8/2009.
Parker is now 7. She has no visual impairment and is developing with her peers in 1st grade. We feel the infusions made a significant impact with her vision and development.” – Amy Whisler Hendrix, Parker’s mom
