Diabetes Hope

Posted on April 12, 2008

I fire up over the following story which talks of a possible ‘cure’ for diabetes. Since my 6 year old grandson was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in January of this year, we have been using the ‘hope for a cure’ aspect as one reconciling point of dealing with this difficult disease. Our take has been that he came along in a generation that has a real possibility of strides in overcoming this illness. And now, there is already info coming out that may point the way to an easier life for diabetics.

According to scientists, within a decade, insulin producing cells taken from pigs and transplanted in humans will be able to cure diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota were able to reverse the disease from which several monkeys suffered by transplanting islet cells from pigs. The transplant aims to replace the cells which normally produce insulin in the pancreas but do not in diabetes cases.

Even if more thorough research is required before initiating pig-to-human transplants, the results are encouraging for an organization which set off to build farms which will raise very healthy pigs, eventually used for different transplants. Spring Point Project collected so far $4 million of the $20 million it needs and will soon start a fundraising campaign.

The project spent $1 million to build two farms, one in Wisconsin and one in Dakota, in order to raise pigs and support the clinical trials.

About 20 million Americans suffer from diabetes, the illness being a lead cause for death, blindness and amputations. Bio-secure laboratories are currently being built for safe animal tissue; pigs’ organs have shown so far positive results in heart and Parkinson diseases.

Double Hallelujahs if this one works out.