http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/12352825.htm. I don't know whether I've got a faulty DSL connection or whether there's a problem with the Philadelphia Inquirer server, but I sometimes get a 404 page when I click on this link, but sometimes it works, so just keep trying. And note that these Inquirer stories only stay up for a day or two, and I'm not familiar with the Inquirer archives.
Hi! My name's Mike, and I'm a recovering Republican.
Hi,
I've googled it and found
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/205397/lorenzos_oil_gets_scientific_boost/index.html
I worked as a volunteer at a children's hospital when Lorenzo's Oil was just becoming known to the public, and, we certainly did have our share of ALD patients, however, as in Lorenzo's case, their condition was so far advanced, that they likely were unable to benefit from this treatment, though the news of this oil (pardon the pun) spread quickly among ALD families and their caregivers - it was a very big topic of discussion while I was around them.
As the movie shows, it seems this oil is best utilized when the patient is first diagnosed - once damage to the nervous system reaches a certain point, then, as with Lorenzo, the recovery is less obvious.
Still, the Odone's work benefitted so many children, that it's living proof that with hard work and determination, any one of us can accomplish things in life that others will consider impossible.
The following dates are interesting to note (especially to those on this board who are Catholic) - Lorenzo was diagnosed on Easter weekend (perhaps Good Friday), and, the cure became apparent the following year, on December 8 - the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, so, to say that God chose these very dedicated parents to find a cure for this terrible disease, is not saying too much...
The problem is that ALD is really a 2 stage process:
1) Build-up of VLCFAs that serve as direct neurotoxin
2) Autoimmune inflammatory response to the VLCFAs that causes severe disability
If you take Lorenzo's oil while early in Stage I, then you can prevent Stage II from happening and have a somewhat normal life.
If however you are not diagnosed until you get to Stage II, no amount of Lorenzo's oil is going to help you. Once the autoimmune cascade kicks in, its like a runaway freight train that nothing can stop.
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