Stem Cell Treatment Helps Scleroderma Patient From New Jersey

New Jersey resident, Michael George feels "reborn" after having his own adult stem cells implanted in him to treat his scleroderma in a new stem cell treatment.  Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease which is mostly known as a skin disorder, but in it's worst form, also attacks the internal organs of the patient.

Quality of Life Improved After Adult Stem Cell Therapy- No Restrictions

The stem cell therapy took place a little over 1 year ago on March 13th, 2008.  Since then, Michael has improved so much that doctors have removed all restrictions on Michael's life so he can do anything he wants.

Stem Cell Therapy at Northwestern

The adult stem cells were implanted at Northwestern University in Chicago where presumably our American hero, Dr. Richard Burt was behind the scenes.

From the stem cell article:

The night he returned to Perth Amboy, George remembers being able to bend down to pick up the luggage from the trunk of the cab. These days his knees are giving him some trouble when he bends due to arthritis.

George said the procedure didn't cure him, but it stopped the disease and reverses it to a certain extent.

“In April the doctor said "are you sure I didn't give you a lung transplant, instead of a stem cell transplant,” he said, noting both his lungs and heart are now in good condition.

Michael followed in the footsteps of Bari Martz who also went to Northwestern for stem cell treatment for her scleroderma.  Martz also had great success with the adult stem cells-   For now, “I’m great,” she says. Her lung function jumped and is still improving, she can flex her hands again, and can even climb stairs, if slowly. “I’m continuing to get better.”

Stem Cell Treatment Isn't Cheap in United States

A lot of overseas stem cell companies take a lot of flack for charging patients usually in the range of $20,000-30,000 dollar for the adult stem cell therapy that can improve patients' lives.  However, we find out that stem cell treatment in the US isn't cheap either at over $200,000 for an "experimental" treatment:

George said he really appreciates life and everyone at his church, the school district and city who wrote or e-mailed him and contributed toward his medical expenses, which were more than $200,000.

I don't want money to be the main issue, as the important thing is Michael did improve his quality of life and you can't put a price tag on that. However, those overseas stem cell therapy companies don't look so bad after all when you compare them to the $200,000 + for adult stem cells in the United States for similar "unproven" treatments.

Adult Stem Cells for Heart Attack Patients

Today, Tammy Henderson is riding her bicycle on the road, but less than 2 years ago, Tammy was on the road to a heart transplant after suffering a major heart attack back in 2001. Things changed after Tammy received Vescell stem cell treatment using her own Adult Stem Cells in Thailand in April 2008 to help heal her heart muscle.

From the stem cell article:

My doctor fully believes this is working,” said Henderson. “My echo showed at least a 5 percent improvement in ejection fraction — how well the heart pumps — and my heart shrunk by 3 mm, which is terrific. Usually, the heart enlarges as it gets worse.”

“My oxygen level went up three points. I have been feeling really great, and I'm back to bike riding and walking,” she added.

Her Sister Thrilled With Stem Cell Treatment for Heart Muscle

Tammy went to Vescell stem cell therapy and her sister Kelly Moyer is happy she did:

the improvements “are exactly what we hoped for,"

“In April, her family and I walked the Kensington Park path — 8.5 miles — that includes many hills, I was very impressed with her strength,” Moyer said. “A couple of years ago I would have never thought that kind of experience would be possible. Her heart is getting smaller and pumping better, clear medical signs of improvement. I couldn't be more pleased.”

Adult Stem Cells Helped Her Sinuses Too

While her heart has shown signs of healing, Henderson said she has been cured of chronic sinusitis. She use to spend $25 month for Zyrtec, but stop taking it in April 2008.

“I have not had a sinus infection since then,” she said. “I think the stem cells took care of it. That's a major extra plus.”

California Dreaming in Michigan

Moyer hopes that some day the stem cell therapy will be available in the United States. Her sister said there's a possibility it could be done at Henry Ford within a year.

“I pray that this treatment will be available in the U.S. as soon as possible,” Moyer said. “For someone sick to have to travel around the world for treatment is just absurd, especially living in the U.S. We live in the best country in the world, it doesn't seem right.”

I couldn't have said it better myself.

CNN Headline Story Focuses on Stem Cell Research Doctor

In the Dominican Republic, Dr. Zannos Grekos, a stem cell research doctor, is now helping patients with heart disease and lung diseases with their own Adult Stem Cells as reported on CNN in a special research report.

Adult Stem Cells Helping Heart Disease and Lung Disease

In the last 18 months, Dr. Grekos and his company Regenocyte have treated more than 100 patients for either heart diseases such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and angina and lung diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, emphysema and COPD.

The story features Barbara McKean of Naples, Florida. Barbara was suffering from the lung disease, COPD and was treated with her own stem cells.

From the stem cell article:
"Right away, the next morning, I felt a sense of well-being that I hadn't felt in a long, long time," McKean said.

"I know that I am living proof that this does work," she added. "I know that."

His Eyes Are Wide Shut

Check out this quote from the chief medical officer of the American Lung Association-

The chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, Dr. Norman Edelman, said he does not doubt the sincerity of patients who believe they have been helped by stem cell therapy. But he added, "There's an enormous placebo effect in almost all of these cases."

So Dr. Edelman sees a woman, Barbara McKean, featured previously here,  who was on oxygen 24/7 walking around with a cannister and now, after stem cell treatment, is completely off oxygen and he thinks it is the placebo effect? Ridiculous.

Luckily, Barbara's doctor does not intentionally close his eyes to the obvious:

McKean's family physician, Dr. Robert Folsom, confirmed to CNN that she had been suffering for many years from an advanced state of COPD, an incurable lung disease. Folsom told CNN he was "quite incredulous" after seeing her condition improve.

Folsom, who said he has been McKean's family physician for many years, disputed any suggestion that her apparent recovery stemmed from a "placebo effect" -- an improvement sometimes seen in patients who are given an inert substance in clinical trials.

"I know about the placebo effect, and her improvement does not seem to be a result of that," he said.

Stem Cell Therapy- Documenting Results

Dr. Grekos is documenting research data  from his patients treated with their own stem cells and wishes to present it to the FDA at the end of this year.

In the past few days, another stem cell research doctor, Dr. Roberto Fernandez Vina, also just presented his results of his stem cell research data for COPD and Emphysema at the annual International Society for Stem Cell Research annual meeting.

And Dr. Grekos had a parting shot for the "experts" who always try to downplay any adult stem cell success story:

He shrugs off the criticism from people who doubt his claims, saying he -- and not they -- are on medicine's cutting edge.

Stem cell experts who reject his methods "need to be better educated," he said.

Stem Cell Research Trials for Heart Attacks and Heart Failure

Recent stem cell research studies using Adult Stem Cells to treat heart diseases such as congestive heart failure and heart attacks have made the news recently.  And on the surface, these adult stem cell success stories of heart attack victims making amazing recoveries in these research clinical trials is wonderful news indeed.

New Research Trials for Heart Attack Victims

For example, at the Texas Heart Institute, John Hartman who had suffered a heart attack recently had his own stem cells implanted into his heart muscle in a new stem cell research trial.

From the stem cell article:

Dr. Jim Willerson President, Texas Heart Institute, said, "We think the improvement we see is largely from the blood flow increase salvaging the cells that are reversibly injured, allowing them to function normally."

"That reflects in the patient being able to do better, walk further, breathe better," said Dr. Emerson Perin St Luke's, THI Cardiologist.

Stem Cell Trial for Congestive Heart Failure

Also, in another stem cell research trial at Vanderbilt, an unnamed 65 year old congestive heart failure patient was treated using his own Adult Stem Cells again.   Dr. David Zhao, director of the cath lab there said “The patients who stand to benefit from this approach include those whose coronary arteries are so diseased that nothing else could be done,”

What About Heart Disease Patients Who Can't Get Adult Stem Cells?

However, the headlines don't mention the millions who are suffering and dying after having heart attacks (1.25 million per year in the United States) and are in congestive heart failure and don't have the opportunity to receive adult stem cell treatment because the FDA has classified a patient's own stem cells as a drug- thus slowing down progress and starving heart patients of a "drug" with no side effects or ethical issues and only has upside.

For every Barry Brown or Kenneth Milles, heart attack victims who were lucky enough to get into a US stem cell research clinical trial using their own stem cells, there are millions of heart disease patients who do not have that opportunity. And for that, we have the FDA to blame.

And that is only addressing adult stem cell therapy for heart disease.........what about the hundreds of other conditions that can be helped or improved by Adult Stem Cells?

Sad.

For more information on clinical research trials in the United States, go to the Clinical Trials website - www.clinicaltrials.gov

Stem Cell Research Produces Another Miracle of Adult Stem Cells

Here is another miracle story in which stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells played the star role.  Kim Case, a woman from Gaston, Oregon was given little hope to live after being diagnosed with NK T-cell Lymphoma.  In fact, Kim was the first caucasian in the United States to have had this deadly form of Lymphoma.

Chemotherapy Ineffective Against Lymphoma

Kim went through radiation treatments and 3 rounds of chemotherapy.  All were ineffective against the lymphoma. Her only hope was adult stem cells from a matching donor.

Lucky to Find Match for Adult Stem Cell Transplant

Kim was very lucky in this regard.  She found a matching donor within one week.  Normally it takes 6 months to a year to find a donor and many lymphoma patients die waiting for the right match.  Kim's hero was Doug Cokinis a 42 year old male with matching adult stem cells.

From the stem cell article:

After another chemotherapy session, the stem cell transplant took place in October 2004.

It took about a month before Kim re-gained some strength.

"It was a gradual, slow process," she said. "I had to walk three or four times around my room without stopping before being allowed to leave the hospital."

Able to leave the hospital after 52 days, Kim stayed in Seattle to go back in for occasional tests.

"They gave her a list of things she'd have problems with for the rest of her life," Jay said.

So, the short period of time after that was nothing short of remarkable.

She was able to return home in February 2005, cancer free. She regularly had blood draws to make sure the cancer had not returned.

By June 2005, she was able to stop taking medication for side effects from cancer. She hasn't taken any medication since then – something unheard of in cancer patients.

How to Become A Stem Cell Transplant Donor

Kim had something to say to everyone  about being possible donors at the Red Cross--
"It's an easy process," Kim said. "They take blood to test for diseases. Once that's clear, they put you on a list. Once they find a match, they give you shots to take for the cells to reproduce at a faster rate ... most don't know what to an adult stem cell transplant is, it's not like a bone marrow transplant."

Considering all that had happened to her, Kim took no time in answering whether or not she thought her experience was, in fact, a miracle.

"One hundred percent miracle," she said.
Here is another stem cell success story and information on how you can possibly save a life by giving the greatest gift of all- the gift of life.