Kyle and Rayanna — SMA II Adult Stem Cell Patients

Kyle Knopes and Rayanna Seffens were accompanied by family as they traveled to Qingdao China to receive transplants of donated umbilical cord blood stem cells to treat symptoms of the genetic condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 (SMA II). SMA is a neuro-muscular degenerative disorder leaving patients with a host of crushing symptoms. Kyle and Rayanna hoped that adult stem cell therapy using immuno-naive umbilical cord cells would help their systems overcome their genetic limitations.