Little girl goes through stem cell treatment to treat seizures

A girl suffering from a rare disease is back in Louisville after getting stem cell therapy in China.

Miranda Goranflo said her daughter Hailey, 5, has made significant progress from those stem cell treatments.

After seven weeks in China, the Goranflos returned home early Thursday morning.

"Now she's wearing the right size clothes; she's not underweight any more, or small," said Miranda.
On Friday, Miranda took Hailey to pediatrician Wendy Daly to report on Hailey's progress after her treatments.

"She hasn't needed oxygen since the day we got there, and before, at home, she'd be on oxygen several times throughout the day," Miranda said.

WLKY first introduced you to Hailey in April. She suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Batten disease.

As a result, Hailey lacks an enzyme needed to clear waste from brain cells.

Since her stem cell treatments, her mother says Hailey's biggest improvement is a dramatic decrease in seizures.

"Before, she would have hundreds of seizures a day, 500 or more a day," Miranda said. "Now she has maybe five or 10."

"I've never seen Hailey not have seizures when she's been here, and she hasn't had a seizure the whole time she's here," Daly said.

In addition to Hailey, Miranda's son, Carter, has the disease. He may take part in a clinical trial in New York, or also get stem cell treatments in China.

"Since we've caught his earlier, maybe we'll have even better results than Hailey," Miranda said.
"I think a lot has to be said for the hope that Miranda received in China," Daly said. "I think her parents literally had no hope."

"We're hoping to keep her here long enough and improve the quality of her life and extend her life because they are close to a cure," Miranda said.

Miranda and Hailey may spend Christmas in China. They're due to go back in early December or early January for another round of stem cell treatments, which are currently not available in the U.S.