Li Dan

debra_lidan@163.com

IN the United States, one in 68 school children suffers from autism, according to 2013 statistics from the Center for Disease and Control. There is no national-level statistics of the disease in China, but surveys in Hong Kong and Tianjin revealed the occurrence rate at more than 0.1 percent a decade ago.

What’s more disturbing is that there has been an obvious increase in the occurrence of autism in China, partly associated with more pregnancies at an older age among working moms in the cities.

To help families in need, the Dongguan-based Cell Life Technology Co., Ltd. recently pledged to offer free stem cell treatment to 50 autistic children in the coming two years, which costs about 200,000 yuan (US$31,250) per child on average.

Wang Taihua, founder and CEO of the company, also promised free treatment for 50 children suffering from cerebral palsy.

“Past evidence shows that the average positive response rate of our treatment is around 30 percent for those suffering from neurological injuries and cerebral palsy,” explained Wang. “Though we cannot promise to completely cure any patient, as some cases are beyond cure, we can help them improve and live a better life.”

Wang made the pledge to Gwendolyn Pang, head of Country Cluster Support Team of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), during her visit to the company in the Songshan Lake region, Dongguan, late last month.

“I am very much impressed by what I’ve learned about the wonders that stem cells can do,” she said. “It’s important that we not just save people’s lives, but help them live a better-quality life, with dignity.”

A graduate of Shandong Medical University (merged with Shandong University in 2000), Wang is also the founder of a private hospital in Shandong and several biochemistry labs. His team specializes in finding new treatment for neurological diseases including the Down syndrome, Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy.