Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Stem Cell Research Helps SCI Patient Improve Quality of Life

A European woman who suffered a spinal cord injury says that stem cell research is working "miraculousy" after receiving the therapy in Russia.  The treatment used adult stem cells taken from her bone marrow.  Vlada Kravchenko, 18, of Malta who was paralyzed by a spinal cord injury when a lighting structure fell on her, says that the stem cell therapy has helped her to crawl and wants to return to Russia for more treatments in hopes for more improvement. 



Vlada Kravchenko (above) moving around after stem cell treatment. 

From the stem cell news story:

Her mother said the recovery process had been miraculous, adding that her daughter had to train herself to walk like a child, starting from crawling and working her way up.

"We're going to have to do it all over again, but we will manage," she said.

Vlada was quick to add that the treatment does not work by itself. "You cannot sit down, watch TV, and expect to heal. I have to do exercises every day. Unfortunately, in Malta we don't have the kind of rehabilitation centres you find abroad - so I have to make do with what we have."

Besides the medical fees, there are several risks involved when her bone marrow cells are extracted and placed into her damaged spinal cord to stimulate nerve reconstruction. Some scientists have argued the stem cells can become cancerous.

"I wasn't a blind sheep. I asked the doctors questions about everything so I was absolutely informed. The risks are very minimal compared with the results I'm getting. Besides, with every type of treatment there will always be risks, but I would do it anyway," she said.

Remarkable Progress For SCI Patients UsING ADULT STEM CELLS

Vlada is in contact with an American girl who had a similar SCI injury.  The American girl is apparently on her 9th treatment and has made remarkable progress.  This is noteable as I always say that adult stem cell therapy is a treatment that helps improve the quality of life in patients.  It is rarely a cure. 

I think most patients realize this, but the media and research scientists create a strawman and say that these stem cell companies claim amazing cures.  However, any adult stem cell treatment associated with the Repair Stem Cell Institute do not promise cures, but they do promise a chance at a better quality of life with minimal risks. 

Patients like Justin McCray, another spinal cord injury patient, who has returned to school after stem cell treatment, know that the stem cells do not cure, but they do help.

Also, there are some research studies that show stem cells do help improve SCI injuries.  For example, there is this research study showing how stem cells help improve the quality of life in spinal cord injury patients.

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Repair Stem Cell Institute Helps MS Patient Find Treatment

Lindsay Butti, a multiple sclerosis patient is now receiving treatment using her own adult stem cells in Athens, Greece.  Lindsay, who contacted the Repair Stem Cell Institute for treatment information to begin the whole stem cell process, is documenting everything at her "Bindsanator" blog.   Lindsay states that she wants to "to publicize this procedure, regardless of my results, and offer an alternative to the endless medication, futility and heartbreak of MS." 

No Stem Cell Treatments In Canada - Canadians Must Go Overseas

Lindsay contacted the Repair Stem Cell Institute after reading about Arndt Roehlig, who followed in the footsteps of pro golfer Louise Zylstra, both Canadians who received stem cell treatment from the Repair Stem Cell Institute's Dr.Shimon Slavin, a stem cell research doctor.  Lindsay is a Canadian living in London so she didn't have to travel so far for the treatment that takes place in Israel and Athens, Greece.

Lindsay has set up "before treatment" benchmarks for her stem cell treatment so it will be easy for everybody to follow her progress after the therapy.  Remember, these are before treatment symptoms, Lindsay is getting this stem cell treatment right now (January 16th, 2010)  in Athens.

Benchmarks- Before Adult Stem Cells Implanted

Hearing – my right ear is normal, my left ear is not – I had a copy of my hearing tests somewhere, but they are not handy. Basically, I can hear quietly low frequency sounds (i.e. bass tones) ok but not high frequencies. And constant tinnitus – it is mild, sounds like constant radio static, often cracks and pops. It is not a bad as others may have it, like jets screaming overhead. Now, this happened in 2002, before anything was “wrong” with me, the doctors attributed it to Sudden Deafness Syndrome (SDS). No, because I was soon after diagnosed with MS, I am not so sure. It is an infrequent first sign of MS, but this SDS is so rare that I think it may be attributable to MS.

Eyesight – This is bad in both eyes – peripheral vision in both eyes is fuzzy – it is worse in right eye, but bad in both. Sort of like looking through frosted glass. Distance eyesight is blurry and inaccurate. I cannot read a street sign from across the road, but from 1 or 2 metre away I can read it. I can get to about line 3 on the vision chart. I cannot watch movies with subtitles anymore. I am by no means blind but it is quite bad.

Balance – standing on left foot, about 10-15 seconds. On right foot, about 3-5 seconds. My right 3 last toes, they have little feeling and can cross each other. I call my right foot “the clubfoot”, it has foot drop and can drag a lot. After about 10-15 minutes of walking, this gets really bad. All of my right shoes are scuffed up. If you have foot drop, you know how this is. I cannot wear any sort of heel (damn). I cannot walk one fort over the other for more than 2 paces.

Lindsay lists more benchmarks at her blog (see below) , including her goal of getting off her multiple sclerosis medications.   

Lindsay Butti - The Bindsanator

For more information about Lindsay Butti, MS patient receiving stem cell therapy with Dr. Shimon Slavin, please go visit her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Blog. Lindsay says "this blog is to give others, especially MS sufferers, a play-by-play of my trying out a revolutionary stem cell treatment for this disability. It is not "proven" but has the potential to give us all a second chance. I will update as the whole journey progresses."

Also, you can visit the Repair Stem Cell Institute for more research and treatment information

Lindsay, I sincerely thank you for all your support. You are a brave woman and I hope the adult stem cells work their magic on you. Lindsay is going to be updating her blog with her progress- good or bad, so keep going there for her updates so you can do your own stem cell research for multiple sclerosis (MS). 

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Multiple Sclerosis Patient Helped By His Own Adult Stem Cells

George Trajkovski, a multiple sclerosis patient who received his own adult stem cells is dancing again thanks to the benefits received from the treatment.  George started out seeking therapy by contacting the Repair Stem Cell Institute who put him in contact with Dr. Fernandez Vina, a member of the Repair Stem Cell Institute and I'll let George's wife take it from here:

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Trouble With Doctors In Australia

A mother of a young boy with congestive heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy in Australia illustrates that stem cell research ignorance is not limited to only the United States.  In the latest Repair Stem Cell Institute's newsletter, Michaela writes how the doctors (cardiologists)  in Australia have mistreated her son Lee, 16,  and ridiculed the adult stem cell treatment that has already improved Lee's condition greatly.

Adult Stem Cell Therapy Ridiculed

Lee went to Thailand in February 2009 and was treated with his own adult stem cells taken from his blood.  The stem cells were injected into Lee's heart for his congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy.  The therapy has helped Lee and at this time, he is living life like a normal child. 

This is from Michaela (Lee's mother):

For many years I'd taken note of the progress with stem cell research believing this was the road I'd take for Lee but I had no idea it was already being done overseas. If I had known, I would have sought help sooner.  
 
There is very little info being put out in Australia and the Doc's do a great job of dismissing what is there as fantasy. The treatment we have received from the Medical Profession is unbelievable! I have been ridiculed, portrayed as a bad mother and have been threatened with treatment being withheld for Lee if I continued to believe in the ability of stem cells and didn't consent to transplant.

I now take a representative from the Consumer Health Advocate org with me to each appointment just to keep things civil. Lee wasn't born with the condition Dilated Cardiomyopathy, corrective surgeries for Aortic Stenosis is to blame. His case has been one “stuff-up” after another and they'd like nothing more than to sweep him under the carpet and I feel transplant was how they planned to do this. They left him for 11 years with no attempt to fix his valves knowing the heart couldn't continue to work at that rate. 

So far, I haven't put Lee forward as an advocate for stem cell therapy in Australia. I've posted the odd thing on Facebook groups but mostly I have kept quiet. I've just sat back watching him go from strength to strength praying for the day I can put him out there as proof that this is the future in medicine. Lee's heart is still way too big and his EF is low, on paper he's in a bad way. I'm in regular contact with the surgeon Dr Permyos and he has a strong belief that Lee will be successful.

When you get to end stage Congestive Heart Failure you don't have reductions in heart size & BNP and your dependancy on Lasix increases, it doesn't cease. He no longer suffers shortness of breath or palpitations and he plays Squash for school sport. Something is at work David and it's more than wishful thinking! If you think Lee's case may give hope to someone else than I'm prepared to provide you with any info you need. I know Lee was the first child treated for heart failure, maybe others might consider the surgery for their child rather than take the dreaded transplant alternative. I'm so glad I took the chance with stem cell therapy and I'll do it again if I have to. Lee would not be alive and living an active life without it!

Mother Takes Control Of Son's Health Care

Earlier, Michaela had written to Dr. Davis at the Heart Scan Blog  (I slightly changed the title of his post for this post) bemoaning Australia's cardiologists for being uninformed on the issue of nutritional supplements (in particular Vitamin D)  and stem cell research. Most importantly, she reports that her son Lee is doing better thanks to the adult stem cells.  Here is her letter from the Heart Scan Blog :

Hi Dr Davis,

I wrote to you back in July regarding my 15 year old son's need for a Heart Transplant through a failed Ross Repair and the possible Vitamin D connection. You sent me some valuable links and I thank you again for that.

I just wanted to let you know, I think you have given me the answers. I increased Lee's Vitamin D supplement to 6000U a day and, along with the recommended nutritional supplements of US Cardiologist Dr Stephen T Sinatra, there have been remarkable improvements! Lee also had 70 million of his own Adult Stem Cells injected into his heart in February. As we know, Stem Cell Therapy takes time and Lee was looking like time was quickly running out.

I have removed him from the transplant list. He is now reading normal Kidney function, the BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide, a measure of heart failure] has dropped by 7000 and his liver size has reduced to where it no longer causes him discomfort. The liver tests show it's still affected but it's function is improving each month. His last Echo was in early July and there had been a reduction in the size of his heart, which is so important.

To the Doc's, Lee can't get better, there is only transplant or death so you can imagine the surprise on their faces to see him looking and feeling so well with their tests to back it up. Still, even though it's staring them in the face, they don't want to know about it. They have no interest in what supplements he is on or Stem Cell therapy. God help their other patients. I view them in the waiting room and think of them as lambs to the slaughter.

We are not spoiled for choice with Doc's here in Western Australia. I have to take what I can get and there is not many who would take on Lee's case. He was number 1 on the transplant list and a most urgent case. Not many were willing to even look at him with his cardiac history and all I had to help was the arrogant Doc's at the Advanced Heart Failure Unit. They were not at all interested in his secondary hyperparathyroidism. I suppose it didn't matter what else he had compared to his heart problems.

Anyway, I'm writing to thank you. Lee would be transplanted or dead now if it wasn't for Dr's like you sharing their knowledge online. I wish I had researched things years ago, Lee might not have sunk so low if I had. I don't know if the transplant can be held off indefinitely, but like I tell Lee, "Stay well. There are amazing people out there doing amazing things, if you can just hang on. The miracle is around the corner." He's so well, you'd have to see him to believe it. But I have 7 kids and Lee is as physically active and as well as the other 6! For how long he can stay like this, I don't know but if his ejection fraction [a measure of left ventricular strength] can keep climbing and his body gets stronger, I have hope for another attempt at valve replacement.

I'm still shocked and angry that nutritional supplements have never been mentioned in the 15 years I've been dealing with cardiologists. Surely they know about them. I have read through dozens of reports online of the benefits of them--Why haven't they?! Thank God for the online Doc's such as yourself, the valuable info would never make it out of a Doctor's office in Western Australia! I've had to leave my country for Stem Cell therapy and then implore overseas Doc's for advice and information. What does that say for the Australian Medical Profession? Not a lot! They put him in the position he is in yet don't want to help get him out.

I'm so very grateful to you, thank you and God bless.

Michaela

Taking Control Of Your Own Health

Michaela and Lee still face a long battle as though the stem cells have helped Lee tremendously, he is still far from perfectly healthy.  However, it is unfortunate that their battles have been with the doctors, rather than concentrating on Lee's heart.  I imagine there are many of you out there who face similar battles with your doctors who tell you to wait for the long term studies on adult stem cells to be done.  Unfortunately, many of us won't be alive to see the long term results of studies that haven't even started yet.  Do your own research - similar to what Michaela has done.  Be proactive and take control of your health- decide what is right for you. These days, with the internet, all the information is at our fingertips. 

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Lung Disease Is NOT Untreatable!

Many patients with lung disease, be it COPD, Emphysema, or Pulmonary Hypertension are told by their doctors that their condition is untreatable other than some medication that will help control their symptoms.  Their doctors say that their lungs will never get better.  However, thanks to stem cell research using adult stem cells, lung disease patients now have a chance to improve their condition.

Glenna Irwin- Lung Diseases Kept Her From Singing

Take the case of Glenna Irwin.  Glenna has COPD, Emphysema, Pulmonary Hypertension, and bronchiectasis.  Glenna loved to sing in her church choir.  However, her list of lung diseases kept her so short of breath that she was unable to continue with her love. Even walking without becoming short of breath was too much for her. 

Stem Cell Therapy In The Dominican Republic

Then, Glenna found Dr. Zannos Grekos, a Florida cardiologist, who is also a Science Advisory Board member of the Repair Stem Cell Institute  who treats patients with their own adult stem cells in the Dominican Republic.  Glenna eventually went to the Dominican Republic for the treatment and therapy and she is happy she did.  From the stem cell news article:

Glenna believed that she may have found the answer to her “incurable” lung problems. Glenna noticed a big improvement in her condition two days later, when she was able to walk through the Miami airport without stopping for breath. A week later, she was able to sing in her church choir again. Just eight weeks later, her pulmonologist confirmed that her lung function was much improved.

Stem Cell Process Explained

1. Blood is drawn from the patient's arm, similar to a blood donation
2. The stem cells are then separated from the blood and then multiplied
3. Then, the adult stem cells are implanted into the pulmonary artery using a catheter in a noninvasive procedure- no surgery is needed!

Other Stem Cell Success Stories

We previously featured Barbara Mckean, a COPD, Emphysema patient who is now off oxygen thanks to this stem cell treatment.  Since a patient's own stem cells are used, there are no side effects from a person's own cells.  This is a safe therapy.  

Interested In Stem Cell Therapy?

If you are interested in stem cell therapy for COPD, Emphysema, Pulmonary Hypertension, or perhaps another disease or condition, please email me at don@repairstemcells.org and I will be pleased to assist you.