Élaine Primeau won’t let eye disease blind her

Nothing will stop the young lady from continuing her fight. "I call this disease a small rodent that eats into you. But as far as I’m concerned, I say no, you’re not going to get me. I decided to fight with the resources I have. It would have been too easy for me to give up. Research is in progress and I believe that in five years, this disease will be a thing of the past. Perhaps it won’t be a complete cure but I’ll have a higher percentage of vision. The goal is to be self-sufficient and live as normally as possible. I always look at the good side of things. The disease made me discover a kind of strength I thought I never had. Every morning, I thank God; everything I do is a gift. When I go out and then miss a step and hurt myself, I feel like crying but I remind myself that it's not the end of the world. I focus on what I have, not what I lost. I feel stronger to combat and I know I will win. I may have lost the battle but I will not lose the war."

Of all diseases that affect the retina, the most serious disease is retinitis pigmentosa. The loss of vision is gradual and progressive. It could lead to blindness. The first symptom is the difficulty in seeing in low light. The second is the narrowing of the visual field: side vision, upper and lower vision are lost - often referred to as tunnel vision.

Doing some Internet research, Elaine Primeau discovered what may be a lifeline. "I had heard of stem cells and made contact with a clinic in San Diego, California. The treatment is done in Mexico.They take stem cells from the umbilical cord of a fetus during an abortion. The stem cells are empty and are given codes. For retinitis pigmentosa, they inject cells into the retina while others are injected into blood vessels around the eye and others around the brain. They inject 100 million cells in the arm intravenously. They are coded and will stay in the right places to replace dead cells. It takes three months for the cells to mature. Between three and nine months, they begin to do their work. The visual field is expected to enlarge, thus providing better visibility at night. The results are good for other diseases but there has been no treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. There will be some improvement but it is not known yet to what extent. "

Elaine Primeau is ready to meet the challenge. "I took the steps and I was accepted. They have my medical records, and I had three telephone consultations. I’m giving myself until next year to save some money because the treatment costs $25,000. If I am the first, I will be the first. I think I’ll be going for treatment in 2008, probably in October."

The LaSalle resident is convinced it is the right one. "I did hypnosis, acupuncture and others, but I decided to stop spreading my wings so I could focus on the new treatment. For me, this is the decisive moment. It’s no longer a question of living in the fringes of society. Some give up and wait for the light to dim. It’s the opposite with me. I expect the light to open. The risk is worth the effort. I have hopes and no one can take that away from me. I’m going to win this battle."