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EESTI ELU reedel, 4. juunil 2021 — Friday, June 4, 2021
Hope and concern surrounding stem cell treatments in Estonia and Canada Vincent Teetsov In September 2013, The Baltic Times reported a successful stem cell operation in which a young woman regained the “ability to move her left hand and use her fingers” after 12 years. The surgery, in which the patient’s own stem cells were injected into her hand, was conducted by Dr. Romek Märtsin at the Hospital of Reconstructive Surgery in Tallinn. The Baltic Times added that within six months, she could “…freely move the hand that was restricted earlier by scar tissue on her arm…” 60 years after stem cells were first discovered, they con tinue to make quite a stir within the international medical com munity. This is due to the hope that stem cell treatments may regenerate the body and treat injuries and diseases with faster recovery times, but also due to the concern that they may create further health challenges for patients. So how does stem cell therapy work? In simple terms, a stem cell is a cell that is not yet differentiated. It doesn’t have a specific purpose, like a brain cell or blood cell. However, within the human body and under controlled laboratory conditions, stem cells can make copies of them selves, or make cells of a specific type. Stem cells can be found in a few different places. A hemato poietic stem cell is a type of adult stem cell found in bone marrow, which can produce new blood cells. Umbilical cords may be donated after the birth of a child as a source of stem cells. They can be collect ed from human blood. It is also possible to take stem cells from embryos up to five days old that are unneeded after in vitro fertilization procedures. For treatments, stem cells enter the body intravenously or are injected into parts of the body affected with disease or injury, to replace damaged cells. Stem cells were discovered
by two Canadians, the cellular biologist Ernest McCulloch and biophysicist James Till, at the University of Toronto in 1961. It was an accidental discovery, when bone marrow cells were injected into mice during re search on the effects of radia tion. By 1981, the embryonic stem cells of mice were grown for the first time in a lab. This moved on to human embryonic stem cells in 1998. Though the use of stem cells in therapy actually predates their 1961 discovery – the first bone marrow transplant took place in the 50s. By 2012, one million stem cell transplants had been performed around the world. In Estonia, patients seeking stem cell treatment are able to go to the North Estonia Medical Centre in Tallinn. The Centre has noted that at their location, treatments are done with a patient’s own stem cells, while at Tartu University Hospital, the therapy can be done with either one’s own cells or donor cells. It was at this latter hospital that Estonia’s first marrow trans plant was done in 1993, followed by Estonia’s first haematopoietic stem cell trans plants in 1997. As explained by Tiina Titma, a researcher at Tallinn Uni versity of Technology, in Estonia, “requirements relating to quality and safety for the procurement and handling of cells, tissues and organs … are regulated under the Procure ment, Handling and Transplan tation of Cells, Tissues and Organs Act.” Likewise, stem cell research is regulated so that consent is required from anyone donating cells, tissues, and or gans. The high cost of treat ments limits them from being sought out more widely, though. In Canada, there has been caution surrounding stem cell therapy. Only three stem cell treatments have been approved in Canada, for Graft V Host Disease, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and Adult B-cell Lymphoma. In May 2019, Health Canada warned against unauthorized cell treatments offered by some
Canada Summer Job Program
Canada Summer Job Program
• • • •
Opportuni�es at the Estonian House in Toronto Ltd. 8 week – 2 month Summer Term Applicants must be between 15-30 years of age and Canadian ci�zens or permanent residents Basic knowledge of Estonian language
Job Title: Archival Assistant Archival Technician
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send a cover le�er and your resume to info@estohouse.com
Nr. 22
Employment Opportunity The Estonian Foundation of Canada seeks an OFFICE MANAGER who will lead marketing, communications and community/donor relations for this national charity. The successful candidate will manage the Foundation’s office and one part time employee. The Manager will oversee and lead the funding applications program (as directed by the Board), create and manage fundraising and community awareness campaigns, and ideally plan and write content for the EFC website, social media platforms and community news outlets, and assume other duties. The applicant must have excellent project management skills, good writing and communication skills, as well as a basic understanding of Estonian. Familiarity with the Estonian community in Canada would be an asset. This position can provide flexible hours and could evolve in future. We are interested in hearing from you if you have most of these skills or willing to learn. Compensation commensurate with experience. Please apply with resume by June 18, 2021 to president@estonianfoundation.ca. Estonian Foundation of Canada is a registered charity that supports Estonian cultural and heritage initiatives across Canada.
clinics and health care prac titioners. They advised that “Unauthorized treatments have not been proven to be safe or effective and may cause life threatening or life altering risks, such as serious infections.” Health Canada asserts that “…v most cell therapies are still experimental. This means that they may be administered to Canadians only if the health care practitioner is conducting a clinical trial authorized by Health Canada.” Authorized treatments and clinical trials are found on the Drug Product Database and Clinical Trials Database. The eagerness for stem cell treatments grows, and patients in both Estonia and Canada have sought these types of treat ments; but it will take increased clinical observation and re search before a consensus can be reached in the medical com munity on the therapy’s use. While there is still much to understand within the field of stem cell research, it is clear that there are many remarkable possibilities we have yet to un cover after the initial discovery of stem cells 60 years ago.
Kaido Höövelson… (Continued from page 9)
put his best effort in to get back up again and keep at it. In 2013, he retired as Baruto Kaito, culminating in a ceremo ny where his topknot was cut by 200 people, one hair at a time. At this point, he embarked on a new path as a business man. In terms of sports, he di rected his combat skills into mixed martial arts rings, fight ing in the super heavyweight class. He also sought to expand his career further, into politics. In March 2019, back in Estonia, he was elected as a member of parliament. His Japanese lan guage skills are still sharp, too; acting in a TV drama and speaking in a 2019 discussion about cryptocurrency, for in stance. The wrestling ring reminds its adherents of a tried and true lesson. As Baruto Kaito has shown us: stand firm, keep your head in the game, and always get back up.
Eesti Sihtkapitali Kanadas stipendiaat
Keili Moore Keili Moore is an Estonian-Canadian university student who received a 2020 EFC Scholarship with funding from the new Martin & Heljo Mäeks Fund. Keili is currently in the final year of a B.A. in International Development with a minor in Psychology at McGill University. Her degree and rewarding volunteer ex periences at home in Canada and inter nationally in Lima, Peru and Accra, Ghana, have helped Keili make ambi tious plans for her future. She would like to pursue a career at a start-up whose objective is to make a contribution to society. But first – she plans to teach English in Asia and work in Tallinn for a few years before getting her MBA. On being Estonian Being Estonian means having the duty to preserve the Estonian heritage by being committed to our community. I cannot imagine my life without our Estonian community. My deepest sense of fulfillment comes from striving to build last ing relationships with fellow Estonians, celebrate our tradi tions, foster our culture and give back to our Estonian com munity. Practically my whole life has revolved around my heritage and it has allowed me to develop a strong sense of identity. All of my Estonian-related experiences and memo ries have played an important role in my life and play a big part in defining who I am today. It is inspiring to witness our community play such a huge role in our lives despite having a relatively small presence in the world. While the size of our community does not reflect our large passion for upholding our cultural values and tradi tions, it does bring up a concern for our future. I believe that this has been a driving force in maintaining the strength of our community, and that we have proven that power does not only persevere by strength in n umbers. Our community truly is a second family to me. A large part of my life will always be dedicated to ensuring a bright future for our Estonian community as it is something that I am deeply passionate about. I am and will always be a proud Canadian-Estonian. On the role of EFC It is vitally important for our community to preserve our culture and heritage, celebrate our traditions and encourage active involvement in the community itself. …our community truly acts like one big family connected by our roots. The Estonian Foundation of Canada is this connecting factor that provides the tools to bring our community together in any way possible. It maintains the strength of our community by celebrating our past in order to ensure a future in Canada. ••• Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Estonian Foundation of Canada has granted 150 scholarships to CanadianEstonian students since 2000. Scholarship details and applications available at www.estonianfoundation.ca/en/efc-scholarships or by contacting the EFC office at 416-465-5600 or info@estonianfoundation.ca
