After graduating from EMT school in 2014, Luke was ready to assist those in need. However, he found himself on the receiving end of help after his epilepsy worsened. Diagnosed at age eight, Luke began experiencing grand mal seizures at 18, occurring as frequently as every two weeks.
"I basically lost my career," he explained. "I had to get an ambulance ride from class and had to stop going to the fire academy."
Seeking alternatives to brain surgery, Luke and his wife consulted Nitin Tandon, MD, a neurosurgery professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
"I wanted the best of the best," said Luke. "We were not fans of removing part of my brain or laser ablation."
Dr. Tandon offered stem cell therapy as an alternative through a national Phase I/II clinical trial aimed at testing a neural cell therapy product's ability to inhibit epileptic seizures.
"When the stem cells were presented to us, it was mind blowing," said Luke.
In August, Luke became the first patient enrolled in this clinical trial. Since undergoing minimally invasive surgery for stem cell placement, he has experienced only one seizure.
"Praise be to God and to my amazing wife," Luke expressed gratitude for finding Dr. Tandon and noted his improvement post-surgery.
