Stem Cell Research Heals Heart Muscle After Heart Attack

Another congestive heart failure patient has been helped by stem cell research using adult stem cells. Terry Areford, 62, a multiple heart attack victim has been given a 2nd chance at life after receiving Vescell stem cell treatment to heal his heart muscle in Thailand.

Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms

Terry was dying. He was slowing down. He had the usual symptoms of congestive heart failure. He had shortness of breath. He could barely walk 50 feet slowly. However, Terry still had hope. His daughter came across the Vescell website and contacted them.

Adult Stem Cells From Your Own Blood

For those of you unfamiliar with Vescell stem cell therapy in Thailand, it is a process created by a company called Theravitae in which adult stem cells are removed from the patient's blood (similar to a blood donation) and then multiplied into a therapeutic dose and then implanted into the patient's heart muscle and/or coronary arteries.

But back to Terry's stem cell story-

Before Vescell Treatment

• Ejection Fraction 10%


• Could barely walk


• Severe shortness of breath

After Adult Stem Cells Implanted

• Ejection Fraction at 45%


• Plays 3 rounds of golf per week


• No shortness of breath- outside chopping firewood

3 full 18 hole rounds of golf per week? No kidding Terry?  I am very happy for you.   Like many of the Vescell heart patients recently, Terry has become an adult stem cell advocate and wants other congestive heart failure patients to know that there is still hope out there.

You are welcome to call or email Terry  at 304-594-9377 or his email is bkareford@msn.com

Stem Cell Research in Thailand

This is the third stem cell research success story to come out of Thailand in the last month. See stories from heart attack victims and heart failure patients James Eilert and Andy Jordan as well.   Is anyone in the FDA paying attention to this?  Adult Stem Cells can be used now to help these heart patients with no side effects!  Why do they have to leave the United States for it?

While America continues to waste put its money into Embryonic Stem Cell research, a doctor in Iraq is actually treating patients with their own Adult Stem Cells.   Dr. Abdul Majeed Alwan Hammadi is treating patients for free- and has so far treated 34 patients with stem cell therapy and treatment, mainly patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Dr. Hammadi claims no side effects have been reported in his patients and this isn't surprising because it is the patient's own stem cells he is using.

We covered Dr. Hammadi briefly last month when he was treating  Reverend Andrew White, the vicar for St. George's church in Baghdad.  Reverend Andrew was suffering from multiple sclerosis before his stem cell treatment.

Reverend Andrew had no qualms about using his own Adult Stem Cells for his treatment because they were cells from his own body, already designed to repair damage.

Dr. Hammadi started treating Reverend Andrew in January 2009.  Since then (from the stem cell article):

White said his slurred speech and other MS symptoms improved since starting the three-hour therapy sessions, which involves Hammadi extracting adult stem cells from White’s blood and then injecting them into his spinal cord.

"When there’s no other treatment, you kind of just go with it," White said. "At least there’s a chance."

White said the therapy itself "can be a bit painful" since it involves a spinal cord puncture, but there has been a "massive difference" in his condition.

"It’s very rare for me to actually feel ill now," he said. "My balance is still quite bad and my vision is not perfect, but I do not feel ill."

Look at this.  In the middle of a warzone, a doctor is treating patients with their own Adult Stem Cells for free.  While in the peaceful United States, too busy with their Embryonic stem cell research, multiple sclerosis patients wait (and suffer) for the right to use their own stem cells for treatment. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Stem Cell Treatment Helps Spinal Cord Injury

Due to the wonders of Adult Stem Cell treatment, yet another spinal cord injury patient has improved his quality of life.  A young man in India who had lost all sensations from a car accident has been helped after receiving his own Adult Stem Cells and having them injected into his spinal cord where the injury occurred (C3-c4).

Before the Stem Cell Therapy

• Loss of bladder function and control


• Weakness in all both legs and arms


• Loss of feeling and sensations

After the Adult Stem Cell Therapy

• Regained bladder function- doesn't need urinary catheter anymore


• Getting Stronger in all limbs


• Return of more feelings and sensations

Process of Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury

1. Bone Marrow taken from the hip


2. 6 weeks of cultivating the adult stem cells to increase total to 100 million +


3. Adult Stem Cells injected at injury site (C3-C4) in a surgical procedure

Dr. K Eliyas Basha of Salem Manipal Hospital in India was the stem cell doctor responsible for this success story.  He contacted various stem cell treatment centers around the world and exchanged ideas and techniques.

From the stem cell article:

"We have been screening and interacting with stem cell centres around the world to know further details regarding stem cell therapy directly at the C3- C4 cervical cord injury. The whole procedure was thoroughly studied and scrutinized by various committees of Manipal health systems," Dr. Basha said.

Perhaps he consulted with this group in Ecuador- see this amazing stem cell for spinal cord injury video

While obviously not a cure, this stem cell therapy and treatment has   helped improve this young man's life.  That is what Adult Stem Cells do- they repair damage and improve lives with no side effects.

What if we gave every spinal cord injury patient in the United States this stem cell treatment using their own repair stem cells?  Don't you think that would help improve thousands of lives?

I do.   We have enough proof- it is safe and helps in most cases. Let's make Adult Stem Cells available for treatment now!

Adult Stem Cell Group Having A Rally

A group of patients who have been helped by stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells have formed a group called the Stem Cell Awareness Association.  This group is growing fast with prospective stem cell patients and even US doctors joining the movement.   They will be holding a Stem Cell Awareness rally this Saturday, June 13th, 2009 in Denver.

Making Others Aware of the Benefits of Adult Stem Cells

The Stem Cell Awareness Association was formed by Carol Peterson.  Carol is the grandmother of Cameron Peterson, a young toddler who was blind from Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, but now can see thanks to stem cell therapy in China using Adult Stem Cells from cord blood.

Educated Freedom of Choice

Carol says the mission of the Stem Cell Awareness Association can be summarized  in four simple words, "Educated Freedom of Choice.

"Our group is mainly made up of patients who have experienced what is really available in other countries and while we don't want to exert influence over other patients' decisions, we do want to make them aware that what is available in the U.S. is not representative of what is available throughout the world."

US Medical Establishment Protecting Patients Or Are They More Worried About Lawsuits and Reputations?

David Aldrich, a spinal cord injury patient who has improved tremendously after his stem cell treatments in China also weighs in on the topic-

"I am worn out from dealing with a medical establishment that does not provide me with the best treatment available and oftentimes tries to stop people like me from seeking treatment abroad under the guise of protecting me," said Aldrich. "My short-term goal is to let people know that there is help available, no matter what your physician says. But my real goal is focused on bringing people together to figure out what can be done so I don't have to go abroad for my next treatment."

If you guessed that David was referring to the American medical establishment not providing him with the best treatment available,  you would be correct.

Too Much Focus On Stem Cell Research and Not Enough Focus On Helping Patients Now With Adult Stem Cells?

While America focuses on "research" using billions of taxpayer dollars, other countries are using Adult Stem Cells now and actually helping patients improve their lives.

For example, take Shel Morse, the mother of Macie Morse, who was legally blind from her optic nerve hypoplasia, but CAN NOW DRIVE!  after receiving adult stem cell therapy in China, she has her say -

"Macie's journey to stem cells started when she turned 15 and asked for a driving permit. It wasn't even an option with her current vision, not to mention the fact a vision teacher of hers had stated it was never going to be possible and we should just face reality. At that point I knew that it was my mission to let people know that they don't necessarily have to live with the diagnosis their local doctors give them.

"Macie's doctors not only criticized the companies we told them about but actively discouraged us from help overseas - help that they could not offer. The reason why I got behind this organization and decided to set up this event in Denver is because the patients need to join together to have a voice. Our medical society needs to get serious about real health care; we cannot rely on our current system - it is broken. U.S. doctors and scientists need to focus on doing what is necessary to help patients instead of their reputations and how they can make money."

What else can I say?  Carol, David and Shel said it perfectly.    See the full stem cell press release here

If you are in the Denver area on Saturday, go check them out, you may learn something and for sure you will meet some brave individuals-

All patients who are considering stem cell treatments or have already had stem cell treatments are welcome to join the next Stem Cell Awareness Rally:

    Location: Denver, Colorado
    Place: Stella's Coffee House
    Date: June 13th, 2009
    Time: 2 pm

Stem Cell Research Doctor Helps Woman With Brain Injury

In another victory for stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells, a woman in India is recovering from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a car accident.  Madhumalika, 27,  had her own adult stem cells implanted into her brain for the therapy and treatment.

In a Coma, Nothing to Lose- Her Own Adult Stem Cells To The Rescue

Madhumalika had been in a coma for more than 3 months.  Her family had given up hope.  Her father said ""We had no hope of getting her back after the fatal injury. Also, we were unsure of the effects of the therapy on her. But we had to take a chance."

With the help of Dr. N K Venkataramana, chief neurosurgeon of BGS Hospitals,Madumalika had the stem cells from her bone marrow put into her brain.  The results?

From the stem cell article:

In the surgery done in March, four million stem cells per body weight, which were prepared at Stempeutics Research Pvt Ltd, were injected directly into her brain.

After a month of the transplant, she showed considerable improvement. She became conscious, started talking and could move her limbs. She was also able to recognize family members and friends.

Dr. N K Venkatarmana - Can you say the name of this stem cell doctor 3 times fast?

As noted above, the stem cell research and treatment was carried out by Dr. N K Venkataramana.  One doesn't easily forget a name like that.  Dr. Venkataramana was the same doctor (neurosurgeon) who helped Aaditya, the lovely young boy suffering from  Niemann Pick Type C, with Aaditya's own stem cells.    You can read more about Aaditya's stem cell treatment at his own web site set up by his family Hope for Aaditya

This all leads back to "Why isn't this available in the United States?"-  Treatment with your own stem cells - not as a cure, but as a beneficial treatment that should be done especially when the patient has nothing to lose such as in this case.  By not being able to use our own stem cells as a therapy, it  is causing unnecessary deaths and unnecessary suffering each day we delay.