SHORTCUTS TO MIRACLES

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I was sorting books to donate for our Rotary Club’s school library project when I picked up Tuesdays with Morrie again. It’s a book that beautifully reminds us about kindness and what truly matters.

Morrie, the kind teacher in the story, was very sick. He had a disease called ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), which slowly weakens the muscles,  a condition that, in his time, was universally considered a death sentence. That made me wonder — is ALS still incurable today?

So I looked it up. What I found amazed me! Doctors now have medicines that can slow ALS and help patients live longer. Scientists are also studying gene therapy and stem cells that might one day stop the disease or repair nerves. There is now real hope for people like Morrie.

As I searched for answers, I discovered many advances that feel like shortcuts to miracles. Some are already helping people today. Others are still being tested in labs and hospitals in progressive countries — but they may reach more places soon, maybe even here. Let me share some of them.

HAPPENING TODAY

(some already available in the Philippines)

mRNA: Vaccines for Cancer and Heart Repair

Remember mRNA, first known for COVID-19 vaccines and surrounded by rumors and misunderstandings? Scientists are now using the same technology to design vaccines that train the immune system to fight cancer and to help heal damaged hearts.  These advances are already in clinical trials in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Australia, with early-stage research in several Asian countries as well. While not yet available locally, Filipino researchers are following these developments closely.

3D Printing: Custom Body Parts & Implants

Around the world, doctors now use 3D printing to create custom bone parts, dental pieces, and surgical models. In the Philippines, this technology is starting to take root. The Zamboanga City Medical Center’s ADMAM3D Laboratory, supported by the Department of Science and Technology, is developing personalized implants for bone and facial reconstruction. Research groups in Manila universities are also exploring 3D-printed bone scaffolds, while many dental and orthopedic clinics already use 3D printing for surgical guides and models.

Cornea Transplant

Replacing a cloudy or damaged cornea with a healthy donor cornea can restore vision. This sight-saving surgery is available in the Philippines through the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines, which provides donor corneal tissue to accredited hospitals and eye surgeons nationwide — including PGH, St. Luke’s, Asian Eye Institute, The Medical City, and Makati Medical Center.

CGMs: The End of Finger Pricks for Diabetics
Those small, round patches that check sugar every few minutes are now used by many Filipinos. They make diabetes care easier and more precise.

AI as a Doctor's Second Pair of Eyes.  AI tools now assist in reading chest X-rays and diagnosing lung problems faster. Some major hospitals also use AI features in advanced CT scanners for clearer imaging. However, heart-specific AI tools are still limited locally.

STILL IN THE MAKING

(experimental, but showing promise abroad)

Retinal Implants & Stem Cells for AMD
Wet macular degeneration damages the retina — the film at the back of the eye. Scientists abroad are testing retinal implants and lab-grown retinal cells to restore vision. Results are promising but not yet available as standard treatment.

Gene Editing (CRISPR)
Researchers are learning to repair faulty genes that cause certain diseases. Early trials abroad are already helping patients with some inherited conditions.

Stem Cell Therapy for Hearts and Nerves
Research teams are testing stem cell injections to repair damaged heart muscle and nerves. Early results are encouraging, though wider use still needs more study and approval.

Artificial Organs & Lab-Grown Tissues
Scientists have grown small tissue patches and lab-made skin. Larger organs — like kidneys or livers — are being studied and could one day be possible.

Nanomedicine (Tiny Delivery Robots)
In laboratories, microscopic particles are being developed to carry medicine directly to sick cells. If proven safe and effective, they could make treatments smarter and gentler.

In Morrie's time, so many doors to treatment were closed. Today, thanks to global research, inspired ideas, and the sheer will of scientists, those doors are opening faster than ever—in advanced centers and in hospitals right here.

These are not magic spells; they are masteries of science, fueled by human compassion—our real-life shortcuts to miracles. The moral of Morrie's story was to choose life; now, we have better tools to make that choice possible for millions.

The science we covered today feels like a shortcut to miracles, but what if the real shortcuts were already here? Next time, maybe we’ll explore the remarkable self-healing powers of animals — some that regrow what’s lost, others whose skin and tissues may hold the secrets to repairing our own.

 

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