Dawn has wanted to visit the second floor of her new home ever since she moved in. But it is something that she has to this day, been unable to do.
However, physically going to the second floor is now a few small steps closer to becoming a reality.
Seeking treatment for a spinal aneurysm she suffered when she was 20 years old, the now 28-year-old Dawn traveled to the costal city Shenzhen near Hong Kong. Her mother Phyllis accompanied her on the trip.
She used a wheelchair to get around but was able to recover some movement and ability in her limbs over the years. Then last year, she found another treatment that could help her make much greater progress: stem cell injections.
Instead of using controversial embryonic stem cells, the Chinese clinic uses cells harvested from umbilical cord blood. Autism, heart failure, Alzheimer