If you are a regular reader of this blog and other Foundation communications, you’re sure to have heard about the search for our #1 Front Lines Fan (FLF). We received dozens of compelling nominations from across the country, highlighting people who are taking action in the fight against blindness.
This social media campaign has helped to spread critical awareness of the Foundation’s work and provide well-deserved recognition to folks who are making a difference on the front lines every day.
After a six-week flurry of nominations, votes, shares, likes and new Foundation Facebook fans, the tallies are in. It is our pleasure to announce the top finishers:
The #1 Foundation Fighting Blindness Front Lines Fan is Carley Colton (pictured above), president of our Houston Chapter, with a whopping 3,154 votes. She’ll receive the grand prize trip for two to the Foundation’s national conference, VISIONS 2013, in June. Currently a 1st grade teacher in Houston, Carley was diagnosed with Stargardt disease in 2004 while a sophomore at Texas A&M University. She’s lost a significant amount of central vision but is hopeful for a cure and determined to help “give blindness the boot,” as she likes to say (showing those Texas roots!)
 Second place goes to Mandy Joyce of Ft. Worth, Texas, who also has Stargardt disease. |
 Our third place finisher is Deanna Boylan of Medford, New York, who is affected by Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). |
Through this campaign, we made great things happen:
If you participated by nominating, voting or sharing the contest with your network, thank you for doing your part on the front lines!
Steve is highly respected for his expertise and tireless commitment to finding treatments and cures for vision-robbing retinal diseases. 
As the Foundation's senior science writer, Ben writes science and research articles for the Foundation’s website, newsletters and Eye on the Cure blog. 
As the Foundation's senior writer, Rich writes and edits content for all of the Foundation’s print and online publications, including its blog, Eye on the Cure. 
Hopefully a cure is on the way!
ACT Confirms Clinical Trial Participant Showed Improvement in Vision from 20/400 to 20/40 Following Treatment
MARLBOROUGH, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACTC
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) , a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today confirmed that the vision of a patient enrolled in a clinical investigation of the company’s retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has improved from 20/400 to 20/40 following treatment. The improvement was first reported on May 15, 2013, in a news article published by Reuters.
“We continue to be encouraged by the progress we see in our ongoing clinical investigations, though the results included in the article were confidential and not intended for publication at that time,” commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. “Our plan is still to publish additional results from the clinical investigations when we have a significant aggregation of data.”
ACT is currently enrolling patients in three clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe for treatment of Stargardt’s macular dystrophy (SMD) and dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) with hESC-derived RPE cells. These trials are prospective, open-label studies, designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry AMD or SMD at 12 months, the study’s primary endpoint.
ACT cautions that the improvement in the patient’s vision reported in this press release may not be indicative of future results of clinical trials of the RPE cells derived from hESCs. The information included in this press release should be considered in the context of ACT’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q.
Thanks for sharing with us Jack!
Blind Man Sees Again!!!
Home |Health | News
Stem-cell treatment restores sight to blind man
16:37 20 May 2013 by Andy Coghlan
For similar stories, visit the Stem Cells Topic Guide
An experimental stem-cell treatment has restored the sight of a man blinded by the degeneration of his retinal cells. The man, who is taking part in a trial examining the safety of using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to reverse two common causes of blindness, can now see well enough to be allowed to drive.
People undergoing treatment had reported modest improvements in vision earlier in the trial, which began in 2011, but this individual has made especially dramatic progress. The vision in his affected eye went from 20/400 – essentially blind – to 20/40, which is considered sighted.
“There’s a guy walking around who was blind, but now can see,” says Gary Rabin, chief executive officer of Advanced Cell Technology, the company in Marlborough, Massachusetts that devised the treatment. “With that sort of vision, you can have a driver’s licence.”
In all, the company has so far treated 22 patients who either have dry age-related macular degeneration, a common condition that leaves people with a black hole in the centre of their vision, or Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, an inherited disease that leads to premature blindness. The company wouldn’t tell New Scientist which of the two diseases the participant with the dramatic improvement has.
In both diseases, people gradually lose retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. These are essential for vision as they recycle protein and lipid debris that accumulates on the retina, and supply nutrients and energy to photoreceptors – the cells that capture light and transmit signals to the brain.
The company is testing treatments for both conditions by turning hESCs into fresh RPE cells, then giving each trial participant a transplant of the cells beneath the retina in one eye.
Although the aim of the trial is primarily to check that the stem cells are safe, participants have reported improvements in their sight. The company intends to publish the outcomes in full when all the results are in.
Thanks for sharing Jack. If anyone else is interested in learning about this news, we’ve shared a related article on our Facebook and Twitter pages. The link can be found below:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23568-stemcell-treatment-restores-sight-to-blind-man.html