British Expatriate Network

A South Korean woman paralyzed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine using stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood.

Hwang Mi-Soon, 37, had been bedridden since damaging her back in an accident two decades ago.

Last week her eyes glistened with tears as she walked again with the help of a walking frame at a press conference where South Korea researchers went public for the first time with the results of their stem-cell therapy.

They said it was the world's first published case in which a patient with spinal cord injuries had been successfully treated with stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

Though they cautioned that more research was needed and verification from international experts was required, the South Korean researchers said Hwang's case could signal a leap forward in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

The use of stem cells from cord blood could also point to a way to side-step the ethical dispute over the controversial use of embryos in embryonic stem-cell research.

"We have glimpsed at a silver lining over the horizon," said Song Chang-Hoon, a member of the research team and a professor at Chosun University's medical school in the southwestern city of Kwangju.

More from Yahoo at the link http://sg.news.yahoo.com/041128/1/3ovex....believable

When GWB comes here tomorrow perhaps I should ask him why God was so good to Salamanders that can replace limbs, but doesn't allow Stem Cell research in the US.

http//eric.stamen.com/net/nyTimes_092302a.html

After all he does speak to the Almighty every day.

The umbilical cord is rich in stem cells. Hundreds of thousands of cords are discarded as medical waste every day. I don't understand the medical reasons why these stem cells are not harvested perhaps it's is more complicated that it seems. But, I would think that there would be no conflict if the researchers used this rather than the fetus stem cells. I have heard of companies providing a cord blood freezing service in case of illness down the road!!

I would have thought that if this was a practical solution it would have been employed - particularly in America with the current government approach.

D'ya mind if I correct you a bit on this?

Just that unless they've changed things in a big way since I've been here, I know (because I was a midwife) that the placentas and cords from all live births were saved. For research as far as I know.