Previous govts never thought of peoples welfare: CM – Hindustan Times

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said previous governments never thought about peoples welfare, while our government is continuously working on this (aspect).

He made the comment after inaugurating the new academic block of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.

Between 1947 and 2016, the state got 12 medical colleges. Between 2017 and 2019, 15 new medical colleges are coming up, of which seven have started admission. This is the difference in the thought process and efforts. In 70 years, 12 colleges came up. In the last three years, 15 (are being established), the chief minister said.

A proposal for 14 more medical colleges in UP had been sent to the central government, he added.

Without naming any government, the chief minister said, The central government demanded a proposal for life support ambulances but the state never sent it. When we came to power (in 2017), we got the process done in two months. At present, 250 of them (life support ambulances) have served 78,000 patients in the state. In addition, medical mobile units (MMUs) are running in 53 districts.

It is with the prime ministers vision and efforts that the state is getting two AIIMS. An effort is being made to eliminate TB by 2025 across the country, he said.

DOCTORS ASKED TO IMPROVE BEHAVIOUR

Asking doctors to improve their behaviour, Adityanath said, If you misbehave with patients, they will not come to you and your career will be finished.

Institute director Prof AK Tripathi said, We propose to start several new departments -- geriatric medicine, clinical haematology, rheumatology, hospital administration, stem cell and regenerative medicine, international medicine (climate change, tribal medicine) and plastic surgery.

Of these, geriatric medicine and clinical haematology can be started soon, Tripathi added.

The new 14-storey building inaugurated by the CM will house 240 faculty chambers, basement parking (three floors), 48 seminar rooms, four lecture theatres, each one with seats for over 200 people.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICINE DEPT LIKELY

TO ATTRACT STUDENTS

Among the new departments that have been proposed international medicine is likely to attract many students. International medicine is a field of health care, dealing with health across regional or national boundaries.

Practised very little in India, this branch will help treat international patients in a better manner, said Prof AK Tripathi.

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Previous govts never thought of peoples welfare: CM - Hindustan Times

Attending This Year’s North American CF Conference Gave Me Hope – Cystic Fibrosis News Today

Two weeks ago, I watched a livestream of theNorth American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) as I popped Trikafta (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor) tablets out of their blister pack. Francis Collins, one of the researchers who discovered the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, was singing to an audience of thousands. I teared up when he sang, Dare to dream till the story of CF is history.

It was a poignant moment. A researcher who dedicated his life to cystic fibrosis sang about persisting until we find a cure as I took a medication to slow the progression of my disease.

Francis didnt just reinforce the solidarity of the researchers, nurse coordinators, social workers, and doctors who work each day to improve our lives. He ignited the room through empathy. His serenade began with a song from Five Feet Apart that emphasizes the perspective of people who face the unknown every day: Im not givin up, even when Im down to my last breath, so dont give up on me.

That is our communitys plea.

This was my first time at NACFC, thanks to the U.S. Adult Cystic Fibrosis Association. My biggest takeaway from the conference is that we are a team. We arent stopping just because we have treatments available to us.

You may be wondering why I was watching the livestream. I realized that in order to conserve energy and optimize the hours between my daily breathing treatments, I couldnt attend every session. Instead, I spent a good amount of time in the exhibitor hall, chatting with people I had only interacted with through email. I was astounded by the incredible science on display and was especially fascinated by the living, breathing pig lungs that were inhaling air through a positive expiratory pressure device.

Despite the emphasis that has been placed on modulator therapies like Trikafta, patients still need anti-infectives. Bacteria wont just disappear from our lungs after decades of colonization. We also need regenerative medicine because many of us have underlying damage that modulators cannot treat. I was concerned that modulators might overshadow the importance of other research areas, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I saw hundreds of research posters on airway clearance devices, novel molecules as anti-infectives, and quorum sensing to eliminate bacterial communication, to name a few. I also met a researcher who knew me as patient EB. James Gurney heard of my case earlier this year when I was treated with the bacteriophage he was presenting at NACFC. The researcher-patient connection came full circle, and we were both amazed.

I stay up to date with research, but the results of a stem cell therapy in Phase 1 patient clinical trials gave me even more hope! I heard trial data on RNA therapy. Organoids are being utilized in theratyping procedures to deliver personalized medicine. Companies Ive never heard of are trying to outdo the success of Trikafta by researching new modulators. I also learned that in multiple labs around the world, gene editing has been successful in fixing the CFTR gene!

Future treatments are fueled by the CF Foundations Path to a Cure. The plan is to provide modulators for everyone, treat comorbidities like infections and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, optimize medical systems, facilitate mutual learning between doctors and patients, and ultimately find a cure. People are excited to open doors for patients. Medical professionals are starting to recognize our value in facilitating the path toward care partnerships.

I encourage patients and caregivers to watch the NACFC sessions that are available online. More than ever, I encourage people with CF to be active and open to participating in new clinical trials. Be inquisitive, be bold in trying new treatments, and share your health journey with researchers and care teams who need your valuable input.

Without the opportunity to attend NACFC, I wouldnt have known that stem cell trials are happening in the CF community! I hope to attend NACFC again and remain an active part of the research community.

***

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.

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Scranton Police Officer Finds a Connection Through Cancer – WNEP Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

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SCRANTON, Pa. -- A Scranton police officer and a teacher in the Riverside School District found themselves connecting over something most people hope to never endure -- a cancer diagnosis.

As a Scranton Police officer and a member of the department's special operations group, Chris Hallock knew he had signed up for a dangerous job, one that might put his life at risk.

"Another interview I did, they asked if being a police officer prepared me for this. And I actually laughed at that question," Hallock said. "There's nothing that can prepare you for this."

"Shots fired, man down." Those were phrases on Hallock's radar. "You have cancer," wasn't one of them.

"You hear about it, and you know we would attend benefits, and I would run 5Ks for people, and you just never imagined it would be you that they'd be telling that you have cancer."

Chris was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. A cop in his mid-30s, who works out for two hours a day, and runs 5Ks, was now having trouble simply walking up the stairs.

"Everyone looks at you like you're the wounded animal now. And, you know, that's a tough pill to swallow," he said.

That feeling is something Maria Voytko, a teacher in the Riverside School District, is all too familiar with.

"I still feel like I have this big C on my forehead, that's like, I have cancer, and everybody's kind of looking at me like, 'Is she OK now?' and it's, unfortunately, never going to go away, so it's something that you just have to deal with."

Maria was diagnosed with the same type of leukemia when she was just a senior in high school. She and Chris connected through a friend of Chris' wife, Angela.

Although they were diagnosed at vastly different stages of their lives, the pair found that cancer ignores circumstances.

"I'll never forget the first time that Maria broke through to me was she told me just ask me how the cancer stares were going. and, you know, I just, I go, 'OK, she gets it,'" Hallock said.

In February of last year, Hallock received a lifesaving stem cell transplant from his sister. He's now in recovery mode, which means countless doctors' appointments and treatments to make sure his immune system regenerates properly.

Even then, as Maria knows, recovery doesn't stop there.

"Remission does not end the chapter of cancer. It is a lifelong sentence, unfortunately."

A sentence that is much easier to live out with people by your side, especially people who understand what you're going through.

"It brought me hope, you know, seeing, Maria. You know, in talking to her and seeing how she beat it."

But the past two years weren't always full of hope and happiness for Hallock.

"People always say you're so strong, and sometimes I struggle with that because people didn't see behind the scenes."

Chris and Angela gave birth to their first son, Giovanni, now 2, one month before the diagnosis. Some might say that's bad timing, but Hallock calls it a blessing in disguise.

"He gave me something to fight for. You know, I knew I needed to be there, and I wanted to be there for him, and I wanted to set a good example for him that you know if times get tough, you just, you know, keep pushing forward. And, you know, I don't know if I would have been as strong as I was if it wasn't for him," Chris said.

For Chris and Maria, it's no longer about surviving life. It's about celebrating it.

"I am so proud of every single year in my life. I'm 41, and I made it here, and I'm going to make 42 and 82, you know, so I'm never going to lie about my age. People think I'm crazy," Maria said.

"It's living in the honor of people who, unfortunately, didn't make it. It's rubbing into cancer's face that, you know what? Yeah, I'm here. I'm here. You gave me your best shot, and I'm here," Chris said.

Now Chris wants to pay it forward and help others the same way Maria helped him giving public speeches, reaching out on social media, even just chatting with other cancer patients he sees at the hospital when he goes in for treatments. Most importantly, he wants to get his message out there

"Tomorrow's a new day with a new beginning, and you just have to remember that even if this is the worst day of your life, tomorrow could be the best day of your life, but if you don't fight to live till tomorrow, you'll never experience that."

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Scranton Police Officer Finds a Connection Through Cancer - WNEP Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Breaking News: Cardiol Therapeutics Announces Clinical Steering Committee for Phase 2 International Trial in Acute Myocarditis Using CardiolRx(TM) 100…

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTCQX: CRTPF), a leader in the production of pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) products and in the development of innovative cannabidiol medicines for heart disease, is pleased to announce the formation of the Clinical Steering Committee (CSC) for a Phase 2 international trial in acute myocarditis using the Companys CardiolRx100 cannabidiol formulation.

The CSC, which comprises key opinion leaders in acute myocarditis from North America and Europe, recently met during the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia held November 16th to 18th. The role of the CSC is to advise on the trial design, provide overall supervision of the trial, and ensure that it is being conducted in accordance with the principles of Good Clinical Practice. The CSC has oversight of the protocol, any protocol amendments, and provides advice to the investigators on all aspects of the trial.

Acute myocarditis is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). The most common cause is viral infection of the heart tissue which is initially responsible for the inflammation. In a significant number of cases, perhaps due to an autoimmune process, the inflammation persists with ongoing myocardial damage and depressed heart function. Although the symptoms are often mild, myocarditis remains an important cause of acute and fulminant heart failure and is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people less than 35 years old. In addition, some patients proceed to develop chronic dilated cardiomyopathy which continues to be the leading indication for cardiac transplantation. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and arrhythmias. Because of the progressive damage to heart cells, heart failure develops (defined as the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to meet the needs of the body). The study will use left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as one measure of heart function.

CardiolRx100 is Cardiol Therapeutics pure pharmaceutically (cGMP) produced high concentration cannabidiol formulation that is THC free (<10ppm). Based on the large body of experimental evidence of the anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties of cannabidiol in models of cardiovascular disease, Cardiol believes there is an opportunity to develop a potential breakthrough therapy for acute myocarditis that would be eligible for designation as an orphan drug. In the United States, an orphan drug designation is granted for pharmaceuticals being developed to treat medical conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people. These conditions are referred to as orphan diseases. In the U.S. and the European Union, orphan drugs are eligible for accelerated marketing approvals and companies developing orphan drugs typically receive other incentives, including a prolonged period of market exclusivity that can extend over seven years, during which the drug developer has sole rights to market the drug.

Cardiol has assembled eight highly distinguished thought leaders in cardiology from North America and Europe to oversee and guide our acute myocarditis trial that is being planned at world leading heart institutes, including the Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic, the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Charit University Medicine Berlin, stated David Elsley, President and CEO of Cardiol Therapeutics. The U.S. orphan drug program was successfully utilized to accelerate the first FDA approval of cannabidiol for the treatment of two pediatric epilepsy orphan diseases. We see a similar opportunity with our international trial in acute myocarditis to fast track the development of our CardiolRx formulation for a serious cardiovascular orphan disease for which there is currently no accepted standard of care.

Members of Cardiols Acute Myocarditis CSC include:

Dennis M. McNamara, MD (Chair)

Dr. Dennis McNamara is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also the Director of the Heart Failure/Transplantation Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. McNamara received his undergraduate/graduate education at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, respectively. He completed his internship, residency, and cardiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. McNamaras current research interests include etiology and pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathies; inflammatory syndromes of cardiovascular disease; myocardial recovery in recent onset non-ischemic primary cardiomyopathy; etiology and management of peripartum cardiomyopathy; and genetic modulation of outcomes in cardiovascular disease.

Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., MD (Co-Chair)

Dr. Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., is a general cardiologist and the chair of the Mayo Clinic Enterprise Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, as well as chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. Dr. Coopers clinical interests and research focus on clinical and translational studies of rare and undiagnosed cardiomyopathies, myocarditis, and inflammatory cardiac and vascular diseases, such as giant cell myocarditis, cardiac sarcoidosis, eosinophilic myocarditis, and Takayasus arteritis. He has published over 130 original peer-reviewed papers, as well as contributing to and editing books on myocarditis. In addition to his clinical and research work, Dr. Cooper is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Association, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, and the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology. He is also the founder and former president of the Myocarditis Foundation and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.

Arvind Bhimaraj, MD

Dr. Arvind Bhimaraj is a specialist in Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology and is Assistant Professor of Cardiology, Institute for Academic Medicine, at Houston Methodist and at Weill Cornell Medical College, NYC. He has been Co-Director of the Heart Failure Research Laboratory at Houston Methodist since 2016. His area of focus is anti-fibrotic mechanisms and how to promote recovery of a damaged heart. Dr. Bhimaraj was a Heart Failure Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic from July 2010 to September 2011. Dr. Bhimaraj also specializes in Interventional Cardiology, is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, and the author of numerous cardiovascular publications.

Matthias Friedrich, MD

Dr. Matthias Friedrich is Full Professor with the Departments of Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology at the McGill University in Montreal and Chief, Cardiovascular Imaging at the McGill University Health Centre. He is also Professor of Medicine at Heidelberg University in Germany. Dr. Friedrich earned his MD at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nrnberg, Germany. He completed his training as an internist and cardiologist at the Charit University Medicine Center, Humboldt University in Berlin. Dr. Friedrich founded one of the first large Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance centres in Germany at the Charit University Hospital in Berlin. After his move to Canada, from 2004 to 2011, he was Director of the Stephenson Cardiovascular MR Centre at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta and Professor of Medicine within the Departments of Cardiac Sciences and Radiology at the University of Calgary, Canada. From 2011 to 2015, he directed the Philippa and Marvin Carsley Cardiovascular MR Centre at the Montreal Heart Institute and was Michel and Renata Hornstein Chair in Cardiac Imaging at the Universit de Montral.

Peter Liu, MD

Dr. Peter Liu is the Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President, Research, of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the University of Toronto and University of Ottawa. He was the former Scientific Director of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the major federal funding agency for health research in Canada. Prior to that role, he was the inaugural Director of the Heart & Stroke/Lewar Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research at University of Toronto. Dr. Liu received his MD from the University of Toronto, and postgraduate training at Harvard University. His laboratory investigates the causes and treatments of heart failure, the role of inflammation, and the identification of novel biomarkers and interventions in cardiovascular disease. Dr. Liu has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals and received numerous awards in recognition of his research and scientific accomplishments.

Wai Hong Wilson Tang, MD

Dr. Wai Hong Wilson Tang is the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology specialist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Tang is also the Director of the Cleveland Clinics Center for Clinical Genomics; Research Director, and staff cardiologist in the Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Medicine in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He attended and graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1996, having over 23 years of diverse experience, especially in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology. Dr. Tang is affiliated with many hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic and cooperates with other doctors and physicians in medical groups including The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Barry Trachtenberg, MD

Dr. Barry H. Trachtenberg is a cardiologist specializing in heart failure and cardiac transplantation. He is also the director of the Michael DeBakey Cardiology Associates Cardio-Oncology program, an evolving field devoted to prevention and management of cardiovascular complications of cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation. His clinical experience includes heart failure and heart transplantation, mechanical support pumps, and cardio-oncology. He has contributed to multiple publications related to advanced heart failure, cardiac transplantation, regenerative therapies, and ventricular assist devices. Dr. Trachtenberg is a member of the American Heart Association, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, the Heart Failure Society of America, and the International CardiOncology Society of North America.

Carsten Tschpe, MD

Dr. Carsten Tschpe is Professor of Medicine and Cardiology and Vice Director of the Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Charit University Medicine Berlin. He received his doctorate in medicine in 1993 and has over 140 peer-reviewed publications, including overview and book articles, and 120 international original articles. His research interests include inflammatory cardiomyopathy, diabetic cardiopathy, and ischemic cardiopathy. He also includes diastolic dysfunction, endothelial dysfunction, peptide systems, and experimental and clinical studies in cardiology and stem cells in his research studies. For his outstanding research work, Dr. Tschpe was awarded the prestigious Arthur Weber Prize by the German Cardiac Society Cardiovascular Research.

About Cardiol Therapeutics

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL)(OTCQX: CRTPF) is focused on producing pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) products and developing innovative therapies for heart disease, including acute myocarditis and other causes of heart failure. The Companys lead product, CardiolRx, is designed to be one of the safest and most consistent CBD formulations on the market. CardiolRx is pharmaceutically produced, cGMP certified, and is THC free. The Company plans to commercialize CardiolRx in the billion-dollar market for medicinal cannabinoids in Canada and is also pursuing distribution opportunities in Europe and Latin America.

In heart failure, Cardiol is planning an international clinical study of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis, a condition caused by inflammation in heart tissue, which remains the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people less than 35 years of age. The Company is also developing proprietary nanotechnology to uniquely deliver pharmaceutical CBD and other anti-inflammatory drugs directly to sites of inflammation in the heart that are associated with heart failure. Heart failure is the leading cause of death and hospitalization in North America with associated healthcare costs in the U.S. alone exceeding $30 billion. For further information about Cardiol Therapeutics, please visitwww.cardiolrx.com.

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Breaking News: Cardiol Therapeutics Announces Clinical Steering Committee for Phase 2 International Trial in Acute Myocarditis Using CardiolRx(TM) 100...

Teen ready to get back on the field after risky tumor surgery – KFOR Oklahoma City

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NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) - A love of sports runs deep for 14-year-old Xander Brayfield from Norman.

Basketball, soccer, E-sports, and even a friendship with OU Linebacker Kenneth Murray are all things that bring out this teenager's famous grin.

But in quiet moments last May, Xander started feeling a troubling pain he couldn't ignore.

His mother, Kirsten De Beurs recalled, "When it came time to sit down and do his homework, he said my back is hurting so bad I can't take it."

"It was not the best summer," agreed Xander.

Not the best, because of what scans revealed.

Xander had a large tumor, wrapped around his aorta, lodged and growing between his heart and his spine.

"I couldn't listen to the doctors the first week because all I did was cry and I couldn't process the information," said Xander's mother.

Dr. Kisha Beg from Jimmy Everest Cancer Center shakes her head when asked about Xander's treatment for neuroblastoma cancer.

"You get a whole kitchen-sink of treatment," she acknowledged.

She says she's been very impressed by how Xander takes charge of his treatment plan.

"He picked up all the chemotherapy papers, he wanted me to talk to him about all the terms, all the side-effects, and he had GREAT questions," Dr. Beg said.

Chemotherapy did not erase the tumor, and the Brayfields eventually traveled to Michigan to a specialist who collaborated with Jimmy Everest Center doctors and performed an extremely risky operation.

Xander shows how the incision wraps around from his ribs to his shoulder blades.

He explained, "She went through my ribs, and took out the tumor somehow."

This tricky surgery was successful but is just the start of a checklist of needed medical procedures.

Dr. Beg explained, "He has to go through a transplant, stem-cell transplant, radiation, then maintenance."

All this difficult news has been balanced by incredible support from his medical team, his school, and the community.

Xander says he stays on track mentally by "just staying strong and knowing you're going to get back to your normal stuff if you just keep on going."

He added, "I love playing soccer, so as soon as I'm ready for it I'm going to get on the field and practice, get a physical trainer and get back in shape."

Xander is always ready with a smile, ready to reclaim his old life.

If you would like to help kids like Xander fight cancer, consider donating to JECFriends.org.

Kids with Courage is sponsored by Friends of the Jimmy Everest Center.

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Teen ready to get back on the field after risky tumor surgery - KFOR Oklahoma City

Chemotherapy and constant pills but DWP tells Hull man Kye Eastwood ‘you’re fit for work’ – Hull Daily Mail

A young Hull man whose life was saved by the generous people of Hull after being diagnosed with terminal cancer says he is looking forward to the future.

In 2014, Kye Eastwood, now 28, faced an unimaginable battle after being told there was nothing more UK doctors could do for him in his battle against Hodgkins Lymphoma - but there was hope.

The people of Hull heroically clubbed together and raised 46,000 within a month, paying for ground breaking - and life-saving - stem cell - treatment in Maryland, US.

Now, five years on, Kye and his fianc Chanelle Urquhart, 24, of Kingswood, are looking forward to their lives together - after what Kye has described as one of the most difficult years of his life.

Although the pioneering treatment cleared Kye of cancer, Kye has ongoing health issues. He is still undergoing chemotherapy and he is unable to work.

Despite this, he was told he was not allowed his PIP (Personal Independence Payment) benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after he underwent an eligibility assessment.

He said the report was "all wrong", stating he could do a number of things he could not do, which meant he was deemed fit for work.

He said: The report said I had a healthy complexion - that is completely wrong in the first place because of the vitiligo (pigmentation of the skin) I have.

Chanelle said he also split open a sore on his back trying to lift his arms further above his head during the assessment and it still needs treatment months later.

Although he has since had his benefits reinstated after the report was proved to be wrong, the trauma of living without any income and the strain it put on him for months has taken its toll.

He said: Someone came around in March theyd decided I was poorly enough for them to come to me rather than me go to them. I was on my cycle of chemo at the time and having massive allergic reactions.

Everything in the report was wrong and the woman who came didnt even look at any of the medical evidence and made out that I could move more.

"What the report said was not reflective of what happened in the meeting. We got a letter saying I wasnt entitled and why, and the report shed sent off.

Kye appealed and received another assessment and a complaint was put into the DWP by Chanelle, who sent pictures of Kyes skin and statements from every one of his doctors and specialists who see him in Rotherham.

Three months later, Kyes benefits were reinstated.

Chanelle said: He was three months without them, which help with his mobility. He was struggling to get to Rotherham, the treatment which ultimately keeps him alive.

She added the complaint has been escalated and is being looked at by an independent case examiner.

A DWP spokesman said: "We have apologised to Mr Eastwood for the confusion over his reapplication for PIP. It was resolved promptly and he is in receipt of all the benefits he is entitled to."

Chanelle said Kye would love nothing more than to go back to work but he needs something flexible that could work around treatment and hospital appointments.

She said: He was always working before the cancer and would love to go back to work and do things but its trying to find something he would be able to do safely, and something that would work around his health problems.

Kye added: I dont know an employer that would want me to be off at least a week every month while I go to my appointments.

During Kye's treatment the couple flew back and forth to Washington for a period of seven months and were able to stay at the amazing centre along with other families of people having treatment there.

During the time between treatments, they were able to explore the country and while staying in San Antonio in 2015 when they had been together for just six months, Kye proposed.

Chanelle said: At the time it happened, we hadnt been together for very long but we didnt know if he was going to survive. We instantly clicked and it was obvious it was going to work out.

Kye said: I knew I was going to do it. Wed known each other for years.

Five years later and they are still going strong - Chanelle even got to be the one to tell Kye he was cancer-free.

She said: He was in America and Id had to stay at home because I couldnt get the time off work.

"Theyd done a scan and the doctor had emailed me and told me he was completely clear. I was in Morrisons and was crying. I was trying to call him but he didnt have any signal.

I got through to him and just said, your cancer has completely gone'. Then he went to the car and told his mum.

Despite the relief at being given the all clear, Kye has faced difficulty during his recovery and still suffers side effects from all of his treatments.

Not long after he was told he was in remission, he started to suffer with a condition called Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD).

The disease is classed as a medical complication of receiving of transplanted tissue from a different person such as Kyes stem cell treatment.

The white blood cells left in the donated tissue only recognise the receiver as foreign and begin to attack the receivers cells.

This has left Key with patches of dry skin on his body. His skin is thinner and he has vitiligo, which changes the pigment and colour.

Kye said: It started with a bit of itchy skin and I had a dry patch that wouldnt go away and we went for blood tests and they kept coming back really abnormal, my liver levels were through the roof.

Chanelle said: That was quite worrying as its quite dangerous and they were trying all sorts of things.

He now goes to Rotherham every week for treatment for the GvHD, and is on daily chemotherapy tablets.

He says he has tried a lot of different treatments but at the moment, this combination is working - although doctors are looking at other methods.

The GvHD in itself keeps the cancer at bay so doctors want to try and find a healthy balance.

Chanelle said: Hes hooked up to a machine that removes a certain volume of blood cells, which they separate. They give him his red blood cells back and treat the white blood cells with a UV light before putting them back in his body."

As well as GvHD Kye suffers with fatigue, breathlessness, bad sinuses and says he is now going deaf.

He has tried to get back to his fitness level before the cancer, even trying out BMXing, but he tires easily and becomes weak.

Despite all of the stress and heartache throughout this year, the pair are now looking forward to the future.

Kye said: Chanelle wants to finish her degree and get a job and a nice house. Were quite different to a lot of people who get engaged and start planning a wedding straight away. Weve got all the time in the world.

Ill have to be five years in remission before no more check ups, but the scares are always there.

They always will be, Chanelle added.

Kye and Chanelle say a few years down the line, they are still hugely grateful to the people of Hull for helping them to save his life.

Chanelle said: We would like to say thank you to everyone who contributed any money, or shared the story, or got involved in any of the fundraisers.

"They are what made this possible and have given Kye this second chance at life and they are why he is still here.

He was on palliative care and was going to die he probably wouldnt have made it to Christmas.

Kye said: It feels like such a long time ago. Im definitely looking forward to 2020."

Sophie Corcoran is a reporter for Hull Live and the Hull Daily Mail. Her interests include positive news, news about homelessness, court news and breaking news.

You can follow all the latest stories on her Facebook page here , her Twitter page here or on the Hull Live website here.

You can also call her on 01482 315174 or email sophie.corcoran@reachplc.com

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Chemotherapy and constant pills but DWP tells Hull man Kye Eastwood 'you're fit for work' - Hull Daily Mail

Redruth woman travels over 3,500 miles to meet the stranger who saved her life – Cornwall Live

Ashop assistantfrom Redruthisappealing for people to become bone marrow donors after meeting the stranger who saved her life.

Carol Timmins was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in January 2014.

The 58-year-old said: "Being told that I had bone marrow failure came as a great shock. I had no idea what it actually meant but soon realised that I was very, very sick.

"Id previously been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so feeling tired and lacking energy had been a way of life for several years. The initial treatment that I received was regular blood transfusions until May when I started an Antilymphocyte Globulin treatment.

"By September it was apparent that the treatment was not working and a bone marrow transplant was my best chance of survival."

Carolhad a bone marrow transplant inDecember 2014from a stranger. Patients and donors must remain anonymous for two years after a transplant takes place.

After this period has passed, if both the patient and donor would like to meet, they can contact blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, who are then able to put them in contact with each other.

In September 2019, Carol and her husband Paul, travelled from Cornwall to Detroit, USA, to meet her lifesaver.

She added: "Ninety days after my transplant I had decided that it was time to thank my donor so I sent an anonymous letter through Anthony Nolan. Within a few weeks I received a reply. We were both overjoyed at receiving such an important piece of mail and he was very pleased that I was making a good recovery."

From that moment she set her sights on thanking her donor in person.

"I knew that it would be a few years before I could travel but I made it my goal. I had to thank the man who had saved my life," Carol said.

As time passed by, the medication reduced and their correspondence increased. There was a turning point in her life when she was told that she had the option to release her personal information, and to request her donors details.

Carol continued: "I decided not to rush into it, as I needed time to comprehend exactly what that would mean. I had come so far, and to be able to correspond with my donor directly would be quite surreal."

Through letter writing, they contemplated at how their paths had crossed and shared stories about their families. In May 2018 she exchanged personal details with her donor.

She said: "It was a truly amazing day learning the name of the man I had written to for four years - Darin."

Through emails they exchanged family photos and started to make plans for her trip. Their friendship blossomed and finally, in September 2019 they met for the first time.

"The welcome that I received at the airport was something that only dreams are made of. After hugs and tears of joy with Darin and his wife Valerie, I was introduced to a local news channel who were delighted to witness and report on such an emotional and inspiring story," added Carol.

Carol and Paul stayed at Darin and Valeries home in Detroit for eight days. During that time they shared their experiences as a donor and recipient, reminiscing about a very surreal time in their lives.

Carol added: "Darin said that if he was asked to donate again he would do it in a heartbeat.

"I consider myself truly blessed to have found a donor who was a perfect match, but to have the opportunity to thank the man who gave me his bone marrow has meant the world to me.

"Please dont wait until it happens to you or yours, people are dying waiting for their perfect match and you can help them by joining the register. Without Darin I probably wouldnt be here today, so if youre a healthy 16-30 year old (or you know someone who is), Anthony Nolan needs you.

"My heartfelt thanks go to Anthony Nolan and to all of the potential donors on the register, as well as the wonderful team of doctors and nurses who treated me."

Anthony Nolan is the charity that finds matching donors for people with blood cancer and gives them a second chance of life.

It also carries out ground-breaking research to save more lives and provide information and support to patients after a stem cell transplant, through its clinical nurse specialists and psychologists, who help guide patients through their recovery.

Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan said "Its fantastic to see Carol,living her life to the fullest andDarinshould be incredibly proud of the difference he has made to Carol and her family.

"Our amazing stem cell donors are lifesavers and they continue to give patients with blood cancer a second chance of life. Anyone wanting to find out more can visit our website to join the stem cell register or support our work by making a donation, which will help give someone likeCarola second chance of life in the future. Without you there is no cure."

For more information, visit the Anthony Nolan website here.

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Redruth woman travels over 3,500 miles to meet the stranger who saved her life - Cornwall Live

These Scientists May Have Found a Cure for ‘Bubble Boy’ Disease – Smithsonian.com

On the morning of April 25, 2018, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Omarion Jordan came into the world ten-fingers-and-toes perfect. His mother, Kristin Simpson, brought her dark-haired newborn home to a mostly empty apartment in Kendallville, about 30 miles to the north. Shed just moved in and hadnt had time to decorate. Her son, however, had everything he needed: a nursery full of toys, a crib, a bassinet and a blue octopus blanket.

Still, within his first couple of months, he was plagued by three different infections that required intravenous treatments. Doctors thought he had eczema and cradle cap. They said he was allergic to his mothers milk and told her to stop breastfeeding. Then, not long after he received a round of standard infant vaccinations, his scalp was bleeding and covered with green goop, recalled the first-time mother, who was then in her late teens. She took him to the hospital emergency room, where, again, caregivers seemed puzzled by the babys bizarre symptoms, which didnt make any sense until physicians, finally, ordered the right blood test.

What they learned was that Omarion was born with a rare genetic disorder called X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), better known as the bubble boy disease. Caused by a mutated gene on the X chromosome, and almost always limited to males, a baby born with X-linked SCID, or SCID-X1, lacks a working immune system (hence the unusual reaction to vaccination). The bubble boy name is a reference to David Vetter, a Texas child born with SCID-X1 in 1971, who lived in a plastic bubble and ventured out in a NASA-designed suit. He died at 12, but his highly publicized life inspired a 1976 TV movie starring John Travolta.

Today, technological advances in hospitals provide a kind of bubble, protecting SCID-X1 patients with controlled circulation of filtered air. Such safeguards are necessary because a patient exposed to even the most innocuous germs can acquire infections that turn deadly. As soon as Omarion tested positive for the disorder, an ambulance carried him to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital in nearby Ohio and placed him in isolation, where he remained for the next few months. I had no idea what would happen to him, his mother recalled.

Approximately one in 40,000 to 100,000 infants is born with SCID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only about 20 to 50 new cases of the SCID-X1 mutationwhich accounts for about half of all SCID casesappear in the United States each year. For years, the best treatments for SCID-X1 have been bone marrow or blood stem cell transplantations from a matched sibling donor. But fewer than 20 percent of patients have had this option. And Omarion, an only child, was not among them.

As it happened, medical scientists at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, were then developing a bold new procedure. The strategy: introduce a normal copy of the faulty gene, designated IL2RG, into a patients own stem cells, which then go on to produce the immune system components needed to fight infection. Simpson enrolled Omarion in the clinical study and Cincinnati Childrens Hospital arranged a private jet to transport her and her son to the research hospital, where they stayed for five months.

St. Jude wasnt the first to try gene therapy for SCID-X1. Nearly 20 years ago, researchers in France reported successfully reconditioning immune systems in SCID-X1 patients using a particular virus to deliver the correct gene to cells. But when a quarter of the patients in that study developed leukemia, because the modified virus also disrupted the functioning of normal genes, the study was halted and scientists interested in gene therapy for the disorder hit the brakes.

At St. Jude, experts led by the late Brian Sorrentino, a hematologist and gene therapy researcher, set out to engineer a virus delivery vehicle that wouldnt have side effects. They started with a modified HIV vector emptied of the virus and its original contents, and filled it with a normal copy of the IL2RG gene. They engineered this vector to include insulators to prevent the vector from disturbing other genes once it integrated into the human genome. The goal was to insert the gene into stem cells that had come from the patients own bone marrow, and those cells would then go on to produce working immune system cells. It was crucial for the viral vector to not deliver the gene to other kinds of cellsand thats what the researchers observed. After gene therapy, for example, brain cells do not have a correct copy of the gene, explained Stephen Gottschalk, who chairs St. Judes Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.

In the experimental treatment, infants received their re-engineered stem cells just 12 days after some of their bone marrow was obtained. They went through a two-day, low-dose course of chemotherapy, which made room for the engineered cells to grow. Within four months, some of the babies were able to fight infections on their own. All eight of the initial research subjects left the hospital with a healthy immune system. The remarkably positive results made news headlines after being published this past April in the New England Journal of Medicine. Experimental gene therapy frees bubble boy babies from life of isolation, the journal Nature trumpeted.

So far, the children who participated in that study are thriving, and so are several other babies who received the treatmentincluding Omarion. As a physician and a mom, I couldnt ask for anything better, said Ewelina Mamcarz, lead author of the journal article and first-time mother to a toddler nearly the same age as Omarion. The children in the study are now playing outside and attending day care, reaching milestones just like my daughter, Mamcarz says. Theyre no different. Mamcarz, who is from Poland, came to the United States to train as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and joined St. Jude six years ago.

Other medical centers are pursuing the treatment. The University of California, San Francisco Benioff Childrens Hospital is currently treating infant patients, and Seattle Childrens Hospital is poised to do the same. Moreover, the National Institutes of Health has seen success in applying the gene therapy to older patients, ages 3 to 37. Those participants had previously received bone marrow transplants from partially matched donors, but theyd been living with complications.

In the highly technical world of medicine today, it takes teamwork to achieve a breakthrough, and as many as 150 peoplephysicians, nurses, regulators, researchers, transplant coordinators and othersplayed a role in this one.

Sorrentino died in November 2018, but hed lived long enough to celebrate the trial results. In the early 90s, we thought gene therapy would revolutionize medicine, but it was kind of too early, said Gottschalk, who began his career in Germany. Now, nearly 30 years later, we understand the technology better, and its really starting to have a great impact. We can now develop very precise medicine, with very limited side effects. Gottschalk, who arrived at St. Jude a month before Sorrentinos diagnosis, now oversees the hospitals SCID-X1 research. Its very, very gratifying to be involved, he said.

For now the SCID-X1 gene therapy remains experimental. But with additional trials and continued monitoring of patients, St. Jude hopes that the therapy will earn Food and Drug Administration approval as a treatment within five years.

Simpson, for her part, is already convinced that the therapy can work wonders: Her son doesnt live in a bubble or, for that matter, in a hospital. He can play barefoot in the dirt with other kids, whatever he wants, because his immune system is normal like any other kid, she said. I wish there were better words than thank you.

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These Scientists May Have Found a Cure for 'Bubble Boy' Disease - Smithsonian.com

I thought I had glandular fever on my gap year, but it turned out to be leukaemia – Telegraph.co.uk

It was meant to be the start of Tom Hunts gap year a fortnight in eastern Europe with five school friends. He had achieved an A* and two As in his A-levels and had an offer to study medicine at the University of Manchester. Before then, he wanted to do a ski season and travel around south-east Asia. But a week into his holiday, at the beginning of September last year, Tom was so ill he couldnt eat, drink or get out of bed. He booked a flight home from Prague.

When I picked him up from the airport, he looked dead, says Andrea, 51, his mother. He was really grey and smelt of bacteria.

Toms symptoms loss of appetite, fatigue, dizzy spells had all the hallmarks of glandular fever. But he also had a large, swollen haematoma on his knee, which had appeared after hours spent with his legs crossed on a train.

When I woke, it was killing me, just here, says Tom, 19, pointing at his thigh above his left knee. I thought it was a dead leg, but there was a massive lump and it was painful to walk.

Andrea thought Tom would get better with rest but within a week, having returned to the family home, he was hospitalised. The GP told Andrea: This lad needs tests and monitoring,because hes at risk of infection.

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I thought I had glandular fever on my gap year, but it turned out to be leukaemia - Telegraph.co.uk

Kate and Flash riding high following injuries recovery – The Scarborough News

Katie Brickman and Flash both recovered from shocking injuries. Photo by Tony Bartholomew.

But vet Katie Brickman, from Welburn, near Malton, refused to give up when doctors told her a hand injury had ended her riding career.

She used the he same determination to bring her horse, Flash, back from an injury most competition horses would never recover from.

Katie, 29, who works at Minster Equine Veterinary Clinic in Ripon, suffered an horrific injury in March 2017 when she fell over while carrying a glass bottle of antibiotics, severing an artery in her left hand.

She was rushed to hospital in Hull, where she underwent two operations, but was told the damage was so serious, she would never be able to properly grip reins again and was advised to retire from riding.

Two months later, Katie suffered another devastating blow when Flash, her competition horse, suffered a serious injury when he ripped a ligament in his stifle joint at the top of his leg while in his field.

Flash was left critically lame by an injury that was so serious, he had to remain on box rest [confined to stable] for six months, and the prognosis was so bleak, he would have to be retired.

Katie and Flash have confounded expectations by making a miracle recovery and returned to competition this year in the world of eventing. Not only have they enjoyed their best-ever year with four wins, they have qualified for Badminton Grassroots Championships at one of the biggest events in the world equine sporting calendar.

Katie, who has been a vet with Minster Equine Veterinary Clinic at Ripon, York and Malton for six years, said: Flash and I have both gone from being told neither of us will never compete again to qualifying for Badminton Grassroots Championships. He has had an amazing season and its been our best ever year.

It goes to show you should never give up and all horses deserve a chance to recover from even the worst kind of injuries. I never gave up hope for either of us, but to reach Badminton is beyond my wildest dreams.

Flash is a very special horse because he had a tough start as I dont think he was treated well before I got him so hes very nervous.

It was really grim news about his injury as he as extremely lame, but I was determined to do everything to help him recover even though everything was stacked against him.

Katie still recovering from the severed artery, which left her hand in a bandage and cast, when Flash, a nine-year-old black Irish Sports Horse, suffered a freak injury in his field.

After six months of box rest, Katie took him for a bone scan at Rainbow Equine Hospital.

While she feared he would never compete in eventing again, she hoped Flash could at least be a pleasure hack.

As an experienced vet, she started giving him laser, shockwave and ultrasound treatment to the injured stifle joint, as well as stem cell therapy.

By August 2018, he was making such good progress, Katie decided to test out his recovery, as well as her own, by jumping and then this year started competing.

In October 2018, she competed at Askham Bryan College in York and won.

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Kate and Flash riding high following injuries recovery - The Scarborough News