The movie "Lorenzo's Oil" is based on a true story, about a couple who searches for a cure for their son's fatal disease. Initially Lorenzo Odone is portrayed as a normal, happy, healthy child whose health suddenly declines. 5-year-old Lorenzo Odone's began exhibiting symptoms of what would soon be diagnosed as an extremely rare degeneration of the nervous system known as Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/adrenoleukodystrophy/adrenoleukodystrophy.htm
The doctor informs the Odones on several factors of adrenoleukodystrophy, most pressingly the rare and fatal outcome. Adding more fuel to the fire the doctors tell his parents that there is nothing that can be done, and that he has only two years to live. Refusing to accept the word of the medical establishment, the Odones begin researching ALD themselves. Amazingly, they educate themselves to tackle a complex medical mystery to determining what if anything would keep their son alive.
The Odones quest for a treatment was not an easy mission, but was instead filled with skepticism from the doctors, scientists, and support groups, all of which refused to listen the reasoning of laypeople. But they persist, setting up camp in medical libraries, reviewing animal experiments, badgering researchers, questioning top doctors all over the world, and even organizing an international symposium about the disease. All the while they had to endure the horror of watching their son's health decline.
Finally, they hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil to their son's diet. But this too would become a problem leading to a search that involved contacting numerous chemical firms around the world. Miraculously they found an elderly British chemist who is willing to take on the challenge of distilling the proper formula.
It proves successful in normalizing degeneration of the myelin sheath in the brain that have been causing their son's steady decline, halting the progression of the disease. Sadly, there is still a great deal of neurological damage remaining which cannot be reversed until new treatments are found to.
The film ends with Lorenzo at the age of 14 showing definite improvement, he can swallow for himself, and answer yes or no questions by blinking. However, more medical research is still needed.
Stricken with ADL since age five Lorenzo is now 29 years old. His mind is still active, and he uses his eyelids and fingers to communicate. He enjoys listening to music and being read to. www.myelin.org
