The World According to Mark

By Mark Tabola

The BBC News had an article a little while back with the headline Pioneering gene therapy restores UK girl's hearing.  Here is a snippet from the original article:

“Opal Sandy was treated shortly before her first birthday - and six months on, can hear sounds as soft as a whisper and is starting to talk, saying words such as "Mama", "Dada" and "uh-oh". Given as an infusion into the ear, the therapy replaces faulty DNA causing her type of inherited deafness. Opal is part of a trial recruiting patients in the UK, U.S. and Spain. Doctors in other countries, including China, are also exploring very similar treatments for the Otof gene mutation Opal has.

Researchers are hoping that this type of treatment can help many others in the world who have a genetic cause of hearing loss. The treatment involved in this situation took DNA and injected it into the damaged areas. Over the healing process, that DNA started to replace the damaged areas, creating a new and properly functioning new growth. The treatment works best the younger a person is, and new detection methods are also being researched to help with earlier detection.”

It just amazes me how much is being researched, and how many new types of treatment are being put into use all over the world. After our own situations with children and health issues, I'm very encouraged to hear all of the new procedures, breakthroughs, and research. It's one of the things that really makes me excited for the future, because it just keeps getting better! And I, for one, appreciate any and everything I can find that just keeps making things BETTER!