3/17/2024 0 Comments Saint lazarus chain![]() Peter Mackenzie as Immunosuppression Doctor.Zack O'Malley Greenburg as Lorenzo Odone.Peter Ustinov as Professor Gus Nikolais.In these patients the devastating neurological degeneration from which Lorenzo suffered was able to be prevented. The movie ends with scenes of ALD patients who were treated with Lorenzo's Oil earlier in the course of their disease. The Odones realize that more rapid improvement of their son's severe condition will require treatments to repair the myelin sheath (a lipid insulator) around the nerves, and Augusto is shown taking on the new challenge of organizing biomedical efforts to heal myelin damage in patients.įinally, Lorenzo, at the age of 14, shows definite improvement (swallowing for himself and answering "yes" or "no" questions by blinking) and it is revealed that he has regained his sight, can move his head from side to side, vocalize simple sounds and is learning to use a computer. Meanwhile, Lorenzo has a great deal of neurological damage, and the Odones are dismayed to see that the oil can reverse their son's symptoms only very, very slowly. This oil is soon found to be successful in preventing the progression of harm in other patients with ALD. This treatment halts the progression of his disease and is dubbed "Lorenzo's Oil". This treatment proves successful in normalizing the accumulation of the very long chain fatty acids (which had been causing their son's steady decline), as measured in blood levels. The Odones obtain a precious vial of the oil (actually containing two specific long chain fatty acids, isolated from rapeseed oil and olive oil) and add it to their son's diet. ![]() They contact over 100 firms around the world until they find an elderly British chemist, Don Suddaby, who is working for Croda International and is willing to take on the challenge of distilling the proper formula. As the scene ends, Michaela Odone is shown beginning the effort to find someone able and willing to produce the same oil Dr. Although the scientists play down their hope, pointing out that it would take years of work to produce the oil and test in clinical trials, the Odones seize the promise of this possible curative treatment. Rizzo mentions his studies in which the addition of oleic acid to cultured cells blocked accumulation of the factors which cause ALD, the Odones jump into the conversation, asking if this oil might help their son. The pivotal scene in the movie portrays this meeting, in which the scientists are presenting their research. First they insist that the meeting focus on potential treatments and second, they require that they be allowed to participate, despite being non-scientist laypeople. The Odones sponsor an international meeting of scientists doing research on ALD, requiring two conditions ahead of time. But they persist, setting up camp in medical libraries, reviewing animal experiments, enlisting the aid of Professor Gus Nikolais, badgering researchers, questioning top doctors all over the world and even organizing an international symposium about the disease.ĭespite research dead-ends, the horror of watching their son's health decline and being surrounded by skeptics (including the coordinators of the support group they attend), they persist until they finally hit upon a possible therapy. In their quest, the Odones clash with doctors, scientists and a support group that is skeptical that anything could be done about ALD, much less by laypeople. Failing to find a doctor capable of treating their son's rare disease, Augusto and his wife, Michaela, set out on a mission to find a treatment to save their son. The boy is diagnosed as having adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), which is fatal within two years. ![]() ![]() However, after relocating with his parents to the United States, he begins to show signs of neurological problems (such as falling, loss of hearing, tantrums, etc.). Lorenzo is a bright and vibrant young boy living in the Comoro Islands, as his father Augusto Odone works for the World Bank and is stationed there. Though it was a box office disappointment, grossing $7.2 million against its $30 million budget, the film was generally well received by critics and garnered two nominations at the 65th Academy Awards. It had a limited release in North America on December 30, 1992, with a nationwide release two weeks later, on January 15, 1993. The film was shot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, primarily from September 1991 to February 1992. It is based on the true story of Augusto and Michaela Odone, parents who search for a cure for their son Lorenzo's adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), leading to the development of Lorenzo's oil. Lorenzo's Oil is a 1992 American drama film directed and co-written by George Miller. ![]()
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