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john volunteered to be one of the first people in the united states to participate in an operation to inject stem cells directly into his spine. it's called a phase one clinical trial. this is the first step. no one knows what will happen. >> here's how john got to this place. >> two years ago i was running, playing golf. >> and then gradually, literally, he began to lose it. >> started tripping and kind of like we thought it was like a foot drop and started catching my foot on bricks and curbs and started losing my balance initially and then developed a limp in my right leg. i lost the dexterity and can't button buttons, can't tie shoes. i can kick a little bit but i can't really pick my legs up. >> john has als. it's better known as lou gehrig's disease.
first up, though, for more than a decade, we have been hearing about the promise stem cells may or may not hold but they haven't produced a single proven cure backed by solid science so far. but now the first fda-approved clinical stem cell research is under way. i was able to follow a patient on his incredible journey. john cornig has a terrible illness for which there is no cure. can you imagine hearing this from your surgeon? >> i don't honestly think this is going to make you better. >> right. >> which means that the reason you're doing this is to help other people. >> right. >> right? >> right. >> and you have all of my admiration and respect for being willing to do this for the greater good. >> the greater good.
the nerve cells in the spine and brain that control muscle movement detroyed. when the brain can no longer tell muscles to move, the muscles wither away. eventually the diagram as well that pulls and pushes air into the lungs. think about that. the brain is fine but you simply cannot breathe. john knows there is no cure for als and so does his wife and his two daughters. >> my first thoughts were i hated for my girls to see me go through this. >> so today is a historic day. what we are going to see is the first fda-approved clinical trial for fetal stem cells in dults. it is remarkable. obviously, a lot of issues here. dr. eva feldman developed the trial. >> when we inject stem cells in the spinal cord, the stem cells surround the large nerve cells and allow the nerve cells to actually become less diseased.
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