Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

Altered HIV-Cells Provide Leukaemia Breakthrough!

A year ago, 7-year old Emma Whitehead was preparing to die.

 

She had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aka ALL), which according to Wikipedia.org is, "cancer of the white blood cells characterized by excess lymphoblasts, where malignant and immature white blood cells continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow.

 

These damaged white blood cells cause damage and death to normal cells in the bone marrow, by drowning them out and by spreading to (infiltrating) other organs.

 

ALL is most common in children, with peak incidences occurring in children between 2–5 years old. It peaks again in old age.

 

The overall cure-rate in children is about 80%, and about 45%-60% of adults have long-term disease-free survival."

 

Although chemotherapy has been successfully used to treat some forms of leukemia, Emma relapsed after being treated twice with chemo.

 

Her doctors had run out of options, so they tried an experimental treatment on her at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in April this year.

 

The experiment, used a disabled form of the HIV virus that causes AIDS, to genetically reprogram Emma’s immune system, to kill cancer cells.

 

Emma is now in remission.

 

The experiment had never been tried on a child, nor on anyone with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

 

Although the experiment was potentially  life-threatening, Emma emerged from it, cancer-free and has been the cancer-free since April.

 

Although Emma's doctors are cautious about the experimental treatment being called a cure for ALL, of the  twelve (12) advanced leukemia patients at the University of Pennsylvania who were administered the experimental treatment, three (3) had full remissions with no signs of cancer, since being treated two (2) years ago; four (4) adults are improving but did not have full remissions, one (1) child improved but has since relapsed and in two (2) adults, the treatment did not work at all )...

 

...Researchers say the same approach - reprogramming the patient’s immune system, may also eventually be used against tumors like breast and prostate cancer.

 

Major drug company Novartis, is betting on the market potential of  the above experimental treatment and so is building a $20 million facility on the University of Pennsylvania campus, to enable the experimental treatment to be brought to market.

 

Many thanks to:

1)  Tech Entrepreneurs and Sean Parker,  both via Facebook, for sharing this!

2) Microbe World for the use of their Flickr inset picture of the HIV virus (green) being cultivated on human lymphocytes (red).

 

This is usually done in a lab environment in order to find HIV cures.

 

 

 

Gillian

Sources Include

1) Article, "Acute lymphoblastic leukemia", ia.wikipedia.org, accessed December 11,2012

 

2) Article, "In Girl’s Last Hope, Altered Immune Cells Beat Leukemia", by Denise Grady, New York Times|Health, December 9,2012

 

Using a Prescription Savings Club - to Get Cheaper Prescription Medicines

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

 

If at anytime you need to get prescription medications, your neighborhood Walgreens Pharmacy (Walgreens), is the best option.

 

The Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens allows you to get huge discounts on prescription medications.

 

You can even choose the type of annual Membership to the Prescription Savings Club, that will most benefit you and/or your family.

E.g.

 

1. A Family plan for just $10 per year,  covers everyone in your immediate family, including your spouse, dependents under 22 years old and your pets...yes, your furry family members are covered too!

2. An Individual plan for just $5/year, covers just you.

 

Both plans also give the following benefits:

1. Savings on  over 8,000 brand and generic medications
2. Discounts on flushots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies - the latter is huge boon for diabetic patents as their medications tend to prolonged and expensive
3. Bonuses when you purchase Walgreens-branded products and photofinishing services.

 

You can further support Walgreens by:

 

1. Liking Walgreens on Facebook

For every like they receive, from now up until February 29, Walgreens will donate $1 to their Way to Well Fund Commitment Partners, who bring preventative wellness services to local communities

 

2. Following Walgreens on Twitter.

 

So why not visit your neighborhood Walgreens today, to make use of their Prescription Savings Club?

 

Your pocket and your health will thank you for it!

 

Gillian

Bottled Water Left in Your Car, is Dangerous!

Marsha Blake via Facebook, has asked us to share this with you:

 

Bottled water in your car is very dangerous!

 

On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said that this is what caused her breast cancer.

 

It has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue..

 

Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her: women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car.

 

The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.

 

So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has been left in a car.

 

Pass this on to all the women in your life. This information is the kind we need to know that just might save us!

 

Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle instead of plastic!

 

LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND / DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE!

 

This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center ...

No plastic containers in microwaves.

No plastic water bottles in freezers.

No plastic wrap in microwaves.

 

Dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to cells in our bodies.

Don't freeze plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

 

Recently the Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

 

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating food in the microwave using plastic containers.....

 

This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

 

He said that the combination of fat, high heat and plastic releases dioxin into the food.

 

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food... You get the same result, but without the dioxin..

 

So, such things as TV dinners, instant soups, etc., should be removed from their containers and heated in something else.

 

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's safer to use tempered glass, such as Pyrex, etc.

 

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the styrene foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons....

 

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Cling film, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave.

 

As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

 

Cover food with a paper towel instead.

 

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life!

 

Thanks Marsha!!!

 

(I would like to thank karljeanjuene for the use of his Flickr inset photo above).

 

Gillian