Exciting Updates

Today (7/20/2026) marks the first day of a new DMI intensive with aquatic therapy. This is a one week intensive with the group from Rise that have worked with Tommy in the past, and we'll be in Asbury Park for everything, so we get to unwind and relax after each session with a walk along the boardwalk, a trip to the beach, some live music, etc.

We are also excited to announce we will be traveling to Mexico to a clinic called Neorgana. This will be our first trip getting stem cells for Thomas, and it should open up many new opportunities for growth and development.

We will be sure to update the Instagram page showing Tommy's progress, so keep an eye for any new posts. For this one week intensive, he will have a session of DMI early, and will come back for aquatic therapy in a pool after a nap. We've had great weather, so the pool will be a big hit for Tommy. He's always loved water, and we have the entire ocean, the therapy pool, and our hotel pool to ensure he has his fill. There is also a strong live music scene, especially during the summer.

For the stem cell therapy, we are going for a specific cell-type called MUSE stem cells. These are usually from the umbilical cord of donors, and have specific traits that minimize uncontrolled cell growth and other factors usually present. The team will put a molecule where the majority of damaged cells are in his brain, and the stem cells will travel to that molecule and begin taking hold in damaged areas to help repair those cells, or will transition to new cells to form new connections in his brain. The cells will be administered as a nasal spray for 5 million cells, an IV injection of 20 million cells, and a second nasal spray of 10 million cells. It's not an invasive procedure, and should not cause any pain. After care is very basic, and we will not need to meet up with the team again after our appointment.

The benefits should be seen taking effect quickly, and will last about 6 months from when the cells are administered, and will allow for a consistent increase in Tommy's developmental gains over this timeframe. We plan to jump into as much therapy as we can during that time to maximize the potential benefits of the stem cells. While these specific cells are advertised at other clinics, the MUSE cells themselves were discovered in Japan recently, and are a very specialized type of stem cell. At this time, there are two approved locations that offer the Dezawa MUSE cells (named after the researcher who discovered the cells), and this clinic is one of the two. There is plenty of research on the benefit of stem cells, but this specific variant is highly beneficial with an extremely small chance of any negative side effect.

We are very excited to enter this new chapter, and want to extend our heartfelt thanks once more for making this possible for our son. Keep an eye here or on the ToughLikeTommy ig page for news!