Stem cells helped boy's vision, family says

LAKELAND - A Lakeland family believes an experimental stem cell treatment is giving their son the precious gift of sight.

Xavier Carballo was born with a condition making it very difficult for him to see.

Back in 2008, Xavier was comfortable singing "Besame Mucho" while sitting in front of his keyboard. But it was a much different story when the 5-year-old was led outside to the swing set.

Xavier was born with optic nerve hypoplasia. The nerves that connect his eyes to his brain are too small. The condition made Xavier legally blind, and threw off his coordination. His parents had to help him eat and walk.

"What other options do I have when the doctors here in the United States tell me there is no cure for what my son has?" says Xavier's father Esteban.

Xavier's family was faced with a choice: Stick with traditional therapy, or take a month long journey half way across the world for what's considered to be an experimental treatment.

The Carballo family decided to travel to China. Doctors there injected umbilical cord cells into Xavier's spinal cord.

Within days, Xavier's parents say their son was recognizing flash cards. Cindy, Xavier's mom, says there's "no doubt in my mind" the procedure worked.

Doctor Jack Guggino, Xavier's ophthalmologist, says he could measure the change.

"Prior to the stem cell treatment, Xavier would just be able to recognize my hand, moving in front of him," says Guggino. "Now he can count fingers at approximately four to six feet, and that's remarkable."

Also remarkable was Cindy's joy in 2009, during the first holiday Xavier had improved sight.

"Usually we would be opening his presents you know? He's going to be like the rest of the kids and enjoying it... there's things that parents take for granted," she said.

Now, three years later, Cindy sees even more changes.

"He keeps amazing me."

She says before the stem cell treatment, progress was slow.

"No exploration, no curiosity, no wanting to learn, more no independence -- none of that," Cindy said.

Xavier has now transferred from a special needs school to a public elementary school. There, like most second graders, he's learning to read. He is also learning to use a special Braille typewriter at the same time.

But not everyone is convinced: Research from the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology finds there isn't enough scientific evidence to show these treatments work.

But despite the $25,000 cost, and the risk of infection and inflammation, Cindy has no regrets.

"They say the stem cells don't stop working I have a lot of new hope for him and I know it's just going to get better," Cindy said.

She calls it a gift of sight, from half way across the world.