Stories of Hope

Dawn Barlett

Daughter has optic nerve disease

I am the mother of three beautiful children ages 3, 4 and 11. My 4 year-old daughter Rylea has a condition known as optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and the result for her is complete blindness. We found out there was something wrong when our pediatrician noticed that she wasn't following things with her eyes, or "tracking". We took her to a pediatric ophthalmologist who simply said, "There is nothing we can do to fix what is wrong with her." This completely devastated the family, first with the fact that she couldn't see but then, to know that there is nothing we could do to fix it was even worse. So now after 4+ years of researching, I know that the only possibility of our "little princess" ever being able to see is to find someone who could do a stem cell transplant to her optic nerves.

There are so many people out there that only know about the controversial aspects of stem cell research. That is why it is my mission to get the people of our community informed and to put Rylea's precious face in their minds so that when they go to vote they'll remember there is a little girl who is counting on their votes in order to one day see like the rest of us who are so blessed to be able to see. I'm willing to go door to door, distribute yard signs, rent billboards. I'll do whatever it takes to inform the thousands of people in our community who know or would recognize Rylea, that stem cell research is really about finding cures...let's help her to "See the Possibilities" of a brighter and colorful future. Thank you and God Bless!

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