This blog is about entrepreurship -- seeing a problem, seeking a solution, coupled with buckets of perseverance. This is a testimonial about one mother seeking a cure for Down Syndrome and succeeding!
The story begins when Teresa Cody’s first child Neal was born in 1997 with Down syndrome (DS). With a science background (as a dentist), Dr. Cody told herself “that through the proper medicine (chemistry) we could treat the symptoms and free him from the limitations of Down syndrome. It is now coming true. He is getting better and better. He has more and more function and abilities.”
Cody has been deliberate and systematic in researching and studying everything she could about DS. She joined and participated in DS forums, but soon discovered that the forums spent too much time bickering and not enough in looking for solutions. This drove Cody away from the forums to a full focus on studying the science. She joined with others with similar interests in researching the science of DS and sharing information. It was not until 2004 when a Stanford research paper on Down Syndrome mice showed the cause for memory problems in these mice that it became clear to Cody her next steps.
Cody works through the Changing Mind Foundation (CMF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit she formed dedicated to improving the mental ability of persons with Down syndrome. The CMF advances a treatment therapy designed by Dr. Cody based upon the research findings of the Stanford DS mouse model that targets the underlying cause of learning and memory problems. Although much work needs to be done, there are numerous testimonials on the CMF website that will inspire anyone who knows someone with Down Syndrome (and there are 400,000 children and adults with DS). Here are some results from CMF: 1) 14 year old Jacob's I.Q. increases 20% in 6 months; 2) Neal goes from nonverbal to chatter box in 3 years; and 3) 3 year old John's I.Q. and function reach normal levels.
While there have been amazing results, the mainstream medical establishment has not fully endorsed the treatment. They are saying that clinical studies are needed to validate the safety and efficacy of the CMF treatment. You can follow this journey of one person’s determination (when many said it could not be done) to begin to solve the DS problem. Since June 2009, Dr. Cody has been blogging her findings about DS’s chemistry and neurobiology and the anecdotal results of children and adults on the CMF treatment protocol (www.changingmindsfoundation.org). Who said, necessity is the mother of invention?' This was definitely the case with Teresa Cody. Her dogged persistance in finding a treatment to Down Syndrome is an inspiration to me. For the mothers, it has been nothing short of miraculous!
© Baldwin H. Tom CMC
www.tbgroupconsultants.com
Great blog, The explanation about cody's research on DS is wonderful.
Posted by: Periodontist | December 21, 2011 at 01:02 AM
Periodontist, Thank you for reading this inspiring story. She is in your profession as well. Baldwin
Posted by: Baldwin | December 21, 2011 at 08:18 AM