A life-changing treatment is conquering auto-immune disorders—why doesn’t anyone know about it?
Thirty-five years ago, Dr. Richard Burt began a journey to treat chronic autoimmune diseases as they’d never been treated before. Using a treatment originally developed for leukemia but modified to be more gentle—a one-time combination of immune targeting drugs followed by a transplant of the patient’s blood stem cells—he has documented the successful and often dramatic reversal of multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIPD), neuromyelitis optica, and Crohn’s disease.
After decades of study and randomized trials, his approach, which has been duplicated in other parts of the world, is finally being recognized as an effective means of reversing these “incurable” diseases. Some of his patients have been symptom-free for more than twenty years, and in this book Dr. Burt tells their stories alongside his own journey of developing and refining the treatment, known as hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for autoimmune disorders. “These patients are the heroes,” Dr. Burt has said. “Their bodies and spirits faced unrelenting disease, and yet they fight valiantly against the suffering and obstacles.”
What is HSCT? How does it work? What are the risks? Why aren’t more doctors talking about it? And why is it still out of reach for so many patients who could benefit from it? Dr. Burt answers these questions and many more. Written for the layperson, Everyday Miracles grants patients with autoimmune diseases and the people who love them insights into the revolutionary approach that could convert their life sentence into a one-time reversible illness.
Every medical professional should read this book, as well as everyone who has or knows someone with an autoimmune disease. My husband, who has relapsing remitting MS, and I heard about Dr. Burt from a former patient of his who went from wheelchair to walking after undergoing HSCT, and listened to this book on a road trip together. Not only does Dr. Burt explain the science and efficacy behind the treatment, but presents patient stories and testimonials with care and sincerity. In addition, it is a fascinating and approachable book for anyone who has an interest in scientific literacy, academia, and biomedical ethics. My husband has undergone and passed the initial screening for this procedure and we look forward to the next steps. I’ll update my review afterwards - wish us luck on this journey! :-)