What Amor's treatment is, and what it is not
This page is deliberately careful. Anyone who donates deserves to know exactly where the money goes, what the family sees, and what no one can promise.
What happens during a treatment?
As the family describes the protocol: blood is drawn from Amor, and from it the clinic prepares platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and isolates very small embryonic-like stem cells, known as VSELs. The cells are activated with a dedicated laser (the protocol is called SONG Laser) and returned to the body, by IV infusion or by direct injection into the knees, shoulders and spine. According to the family, results show six to twelve weeks after each treatment.
The first treatment took place in June 2025 in San Diego, with the physician who developed the protocol. Since then the treatments have been given at a clinic in Philadelphia by another physician who continues the work.
What does the family report?
Mikaela watches Amor closely and keeps track of what she sees. After the third treatment, in March 2026, she wrote: "The decline stopped for the first time in years." What she describes:
- Sitting straighter, with stronger arms.
- Movement returning in the hands and legs, better muscle tone.
- In the pool: swimming, diving and "walking in the water." Easier transfers from the wheelchair.
- More energy and a better mood, and in her words, better eyesight as well.
- CPK levels (a muscle enzyme measured in blood) that she says have dropped or stabilized.
These are a mother's reports, not the findings of a study. We present them as they are, because they are what drives this campaign.
What the treatment is not
- It is not a cure. There is no cure for Duchenne today, and no treatment, including this one, promises that Amor will walk again.
- It is not approved. The protocol is not approved by the US FDA or by Israel's Ministry of Health.
- It is not covered. No health fund or public insurance pays for it, which is why every dollar comes from donations.
- It is not clinically proven. The scientific publication the family points to (2025) describes a single patient with a different neurological condition. It is a preliminary finding, with no controlled trial behind it.
A second goal: a stem cell donor
Alongside the treatments, the family is looking for a stem cell donor with a tissue (HLA) match of at least 50 percent. This is part of the campaign's overall goal, together with the related research.
What does it cost?
The family has not published a price for a single treatment. The campaign goal of ₪3,500,000 (Israeli shekels) was set for a series of treatments, the donor search and the research. According to mako (October 5, 2026), about 100,000 NIS is still missing for the next treatment on November 9, 2026. As of October 8, 2026, ₪1,172,617 has been raised from 5,344 donors.
Questions about the treatment
Is VSEL therapy FDA-approved?
No. The protocol Amor receives is experimental and is not approved by the FDA or by Israel's Ministry of Health, so it is not covered by Israeli public health insurance either.
Is there a clinical trial showing it works in Duchenne?
Not that we know of. The scientific publication the family points to (2025) describes a single patient with a different neurological condition. It is a preliminary finding, not a controlled trial.
So why does the family keep going?
Because of what they see and measure since the third treatment: the decline stopped and some function came back. That is the only reason, and for a mother who watches her son every day, it is enough.
Why the United States and not Israel?
The protocol is currently offered only at a clinic in the US. There is no equivalent in Israel.
Are you recommending this treatment to other families?
No. This site tells one family's story. It is not medical advice. Any treatment decision for a child with Duchenne belongs with the child's neurologist.
The next treatment depends on what is raised by November 9, 2026.
Donate for AmorAmor wants to live. You can help him today.
Every gift joins the 5,344 people who have already chosen to stand with Amor. Donations go through the family's secure campaign page on Gius MeHalev, an Israeli crowdfunding platform. The page is in Hebrew; PayPal and international credit cards are accepted, and amounts are in Israeli shekels (NIS).
Donate on the campaign pageNeed help with the Hebrew page? A short walkthrough in English.