Success Stories: Gracie Gregory

Gracie Gregory used to be a bit of a handful, consuming 75% of her parents, Gina and Wade Gregory’s, day. When at home or in public, she would throw fits, kicking and screaming and causing an audible ruckus. It even affected the relationship she had with her brother, Ryleigh.

At two years old, Gracie was diagnosed with autism, a condition characterized by overall behavior problems, which can be caused by the child’s difficulty with communication, sensory sensitivity and inability to thrive socially.

Luckily for the Gregorys, they had stored their daughter’s cord blood at birth. They sought out a new clinical trial at the time being administered by Duke to test the benefits of cord blood to treat autism.

While the trials results are not definitive yet, Gina and Wade say they have seen a large change in their daughter after undergoing the treatment. They say Gracie’s behavior has improved by 80% or 90% and her tantrums and outbursts now only affect 10% of their day. They say she has become more affectionate and can now handle social situations she may have found stressful in the past. She is even able to attend a regular school program.

“I think it’s supercharged her learning curve. It’s pushed her to do things she normally wouldn’t do,” said Wade.

“She got better, and we’re just thankful for that,” added Gina.

Umbilical cord blood is used in the treatment of more than 80 different diseases. Find out more about cord blood banking here.

Sources:
CNN