December 9, 2004
Research: Cure
Question from Plummer, Idaho, United States:
I recently received an e-mail from a friend about Dr. Denise Faustman’s work on curing diabetes in mice. This sounds so exciting and I know we all are praying for a cure. Is this too good to be true? What is your opinion of her work? If this is a promising area of research, what is the realistic time frame for human trials and a cure for the general population? I read all the information I could find on CWD and elsewhere on the web but couldn’t find any “new” information about progress in this field of research. This e-mail said others were looking into this “cure” and had also produced the same results in mice. Is this true?
My motivation for asking all these questions is that my 10 year old daughter with type 1 is having a really hard time staying in control and dealing with her emotions. I would like to tell her about this cure that may be possible in her lifetime to motivate her to take better care of her body. However, if this is not a promising area of research I would rather she not get her hopes up only to be told once again that the research has failed. We have been told a cure was 10 years away since she was diagnosed at four. And, now, I often hear 20 years away, which is depressing for these kids.
Answer:
Denise Faustman’s work is excellent and ongoing. Nobody can really answer your question about exactly when such scientific research will become reality and be available for people. Being a member of JDRF and ADA will keep you abreast of new developments. Online sites like CWD will do the same. You should also suggest that your daughter ask such questions to her diabetes team at her follow-up appointments since they can also have an opportunity to answer such questions and place them in perspective.
SB
