A Letter from Julie Cook
This is not a typical case study. It is not the story of an athlete returning to competition or a measurable improvement on a clinical test. It is the story of a man, a disease with no cure, and a family’s search for hope. Paul Cook’s story is told through the words of his wife, Julie – whose letter to Wellbeing International Foundation captures the human reality of Motor Neurone Disease and the role that Cell-Free Therapy played in their lives.
The Diagnosis
In May 2017, Paul Cook was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). At the time of diagnosis, he was given 6 to 18 months to live. Other than one drug that had been on the market for over 30 years – offering an additional 3 to 6 months with heavy side effects – there was absolutely no treatment available. MND is always terminal. It progresses quite rapidly in most people. For Paul and Julie, the diagnosis was devastating.
– Julie Cook
Finding Wellbeing
In November 2017, Max Lewinsohn, Chairman of Wellbeing International Foundation, introduced the Cooks to Dr Steve Ray, the organisation’s Senior Consultant Scientist. Julie describes Steve as “incredibly knowledgeable in the field of neurology.” After a positive initial meeting, they agreed to start a unique cell-free treatment programme, based on the administration of extracellular vesicles derived from Paul’s own cells.
The Treatment
Paul received infusions every 3 months for 3.5 years. The infusions were painless, given by IV, and took no more than 15 minutes each. The Wellbeing team met with Paul every 3 months, and Dr Ray was available by phone or email whenever Paul had questions. Julie describes the cost as significant, but adds without hesitation that it was worth every penny. Because beyond the treatment itself, it gave Paul something that MND had tried to take away: hope.
– Julie Cook
The Outcome
Paul survived for nearly 5 years after his diagnosis – far exceeding his initial prognosis of 6 to 18 months. Julie’s letter does not make claims about what caused this. She is measured, honest, and clear-eyed. There is no other version of Paul to compare it with. But she believes – and states – that the treatment, along with the hope that Dr Ray and the Wellbeing team provided, slowed the progression of the disease.
A Note on This Story
Paul Cook’s story is different from the other case studies on this site. There are no before-and-after statistics, no dramatic return to competition. What there is, instead, is a family’s experience of facing the most devastating diagnosis imaginable and finding, through WIF, both a treatment protocol and a human connection that gave them something precious: time, and hope. Julie’s letter closes with gratitude: for the team always being available, for giving hope, and for understanding the need for a cure for MND.