Brian and Carrie Reed's daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome in July, 2004. They were told there was no cure, no procedure, no hope. She would lose all her senses and her life span was about 12 years.

That all changed on September 2nd when they found out there was a stem cell replacement procedure at Duke University in North Carolina that could give her a chance at a normal life. The procedure at Duke was not covered by the Reed's insurance, and was estimated to cost in excess of $600,000, plus extensive after-care expenses. Word quickly spread about Lauren's situation, and a frantic fundraising effort by friends, family and countless others began.

In early October, Lauren began pre-transplant testing at Duke. During the testing phase, a new avenue came to light. A doctor that had helped develop the procedure at Duke was now at the University of Arizona. Although the procedure has never been done on a Sanfilippo child at U of A, other stem cell procedures have, and Duke committed to help the U of A perform the procedure.

For the most up-to-date news on Lauren's progress, read the online blog and visit the photo gallery.