Why a treatment in Mexico?

There are many hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) performed in The Netherlands. These will only be offered to people diagnosed with leukemia, not with MS. Neurologists in the Netherlands take a cautious approach and closely monitor what results are achieved abroad with HSCT for MS.

In other hospitals and medical centers around the world like in Singapore, Moscow, Chicago, Heidelberg (Germany) and Uppsala (Sweden), HSCT’s are performed on MS patients. These centers have different selection criteria for patients. Martine is due to her form of MS (secondary progressive) and her degree of disability no longer eligible for treatment at these centers.

She can still be treated in Mexico. The current waiting list is about 7 months. Martine requested an emergency status in September and received it. On October 15th, the joyous mail came: she can start on December 5th with the stem cell transplantation. With the money donated by then, she could pay the deposit and the air plane tickets.

There have been about 2500 people with MS that have done the HSCT treatment worldwide. The Hematology Clinic “Clinica Ruiz ‘in Mexico (Puebla and Monterrey) has treated approximately 200 people with MS.

The treatment in Mexico lasts four weeks. Her boyfriend will be her caregiver. Her parents will care for her daughters at her home. Martine and her boyfriend will spend four weeks in an apartment near the private hospital. They are brought to the hospital by volunteers, every day.