Xavier

Xavier was 4 years old when we first heard his story and were asked to help. At the age of 2 he was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH), a congenital condition in which the optic nerve fails to develop normally. This birth defect leaves the child with varying degrees of visual impairment; Xavier was legally blind.

After seeking help from many doctors with no success, Xavier’s mother, Cindy, did some research. Though there is no cure for ONH, there are experimental treatments being conducted in other countries using umbilical stem cell transplants.

In the fall of 2008, with a small donation from CFC, Xavier‘s parents took him to Qingdao, China for treatment.

UPDATE

February 16, 2010: We just spoke to Cindy in Auburndale, FL and were advised that Xavier is now almost 6 years old and that his treatment in China was a great success. She is very excited that Xavier is now able to identify and recognize his ABC’s, numbers, colors and even shapes. “He has improved dramatically. He’s way more independent that he used to be. He’s so happy,” she was thrilled to tell us. “We’re happy.”