Marina’s new lease of life a testament to public support
By Mary Dennehy
THIS time two years ago Marina Jordan Killoran was undergoing stem cell treatment in a Chicago hospital, after members of the public raised a staggering €170k to get her there.
Today, the mother of two believes she is “living proof” of the success of this treatment for some – with her new lease of life also testament to the power of community.
Marina and Alan taking some time out during their recent trip to Chicago
Marina (48), who grew up in Old Bawn, was diagnosed in 2010 with systemic scleroderma, a chronic, progressive and incurable auto immune disease which results in scar tissue building up on the lungs, heart, kidneys and liver.
Due to her illness, which sees an over-production of the protein collagen thicken the connective tissue of the body, Marina suffered with extreme joint pain, chronic fatigue, a persistent cough and limited mobility that resulted in her spending 23 hours a day in bed.
On July 26, 2016, Marina underwent a form of stem cell treatment, which, a ‘cardiac friendly’ version due to pressures on Marina’s heart, used the Old Bawn native’s own stem cells to reboot her system.
Two years down the line and Marina is just back from a visit to the Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where the team was “delighted” with Marina’s progress – with all of her bloods coming back clear.
‘The change is amazing…’
“If I didn’t have that treatment, I’d be either dead or very close to it,” Marina last week told The Echo.
“I couldn’t walk before the treatment, I couldn’t hold a pen, write . . . it is a very disfiguring disease.
“I just wanted to be alive, I wanted to be well and I am so happy at where I am now.
“The change is amazing, it’s miraculous really.”
Marina, who is now hoping to slowly introduce some exercise into her daily routine, added: “I will always have some joint damage, but I can live with that.
“However, I can feel myself getting better and can walk again and manage the stairs on my own.
“I am so grateful for the community’s support . . . I still have a way to go, but I am doing well and I know how lucky I am.
“I benefited from the generosity of the community and I will be forever thankful.”
Over the past two years, Marina has been raising awareness of the treatment amongst those in the medical profession that she meets through her therapies and check-ups.
While the first year was tough for Marina, and she picked up a number of bugs and viruses, she is starting to feel the real benefits of the treatment two years on.
Before the treatment, Marina was also taking more than 30 tablets daily. Now, she is on one gastro tablet for her stomach.
Marina two years ago during treatment
“I am living proof that this treatment can work . . . and I wish we could embrace it [here in Ireland],” she told The Echo.
“Long-term, the treatment is more favourable for both the patient and the HSE – everybody wins.
“The patient is given the chance of a better quality of life and the HSE is not forking out to keep people on expensive drugs on a long-term basis.
“Patients [in Ireland] are just given a cocktail of all these drugs which try and hide the symptoms but the disease still progresses.
“It makes economic sense for us to embrace this treatment and to get people off their meds and get them well . . . give them a chance.”
Doing really well
Marina’s husband Alan, who is originally from Millbrook Lawns, told The Echo: “Marina has had her ups and downs since getting the treatment but she’s doing really well the past few months.
“She has had such a positive response to the treatment, and her team in Chicago [led by Dr Richard Burt] is delighted with her progress.
“The different is remarkable, our family is definitely getting back to a sense of normality and we can’t thank people enough for not only their donations but their well-wishes and messages of support.”
‘Further exploration’ – HSE
When conacted by The Echo, a spokesperson for the HSE said that the National Clinical Programme for Neurology has been closely watching clinical research and progression in the area of Stem Cell treatment over the last few years and has identified it as requiring “further exploration”.
The spokesperson said: “To this end, a request has been made to Neurology Programme Clinical Advisory Group and working group seeking nominations for a specific subgroup to further explore the area of Stem Cell treatment in MS.
“Expressions of interest have been received from a number of stakeholders including Neurologists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, MS Ireland and colleagues in Haematology.
“A work plan for this subgroup has not yet been developed, however it will likely include a review of international evidence supporting this intervention, a review of likely population need, an investigation into potential requirement for a health technology assessment in collaboration with HIQA (initial contact with HIQA has already been made).”
At the end of the work, according to the HSE, the Neurology programme hopes to be able to “make recommendations to guide relevant HSE operational divisions for service planning and provision”.
