Personal Success Stories

Personal Success Stories from Adult Stem Cell Research;
Helping People with Real Diseases

Carol Franz

A two-time survivor of multiple myeloma cancer (aka bone marrow cancer), Carol credits the Grace of God and two adult stem cell transplants for her recovery. Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer, but can also destroy bone. Her first bout with the cancer in 2003 affected her bones so badly that Carol comments, “my x-rays looked like someone had used me for target practice.”

After enduring five months of chemo, in May 2003, she received an adult stem cell transplant at Syracuse University Hospital. Within three weeks, the adult stem cells had begun regenerating both her immune system and blood. Two months later she was taking long walks, dancing and traveling.

Her second bout of multiple myeloma cancer occurred in 2006, when results from a routine oncology visit revealed the cancer had reappeared. After receiving a somewhat successful prescription treatment, in November 2006, Carol underwent her second adult stem cell transplant. Again, after a few short months she experienced a return to normalcy. Since her blood no longer carries the immunizations from her childhood years, she is currently receiving extended antibiotic treatments and will need to receive her immunization shots again.

Doug Rice

Eight years ago, Doug Rice was told he had two years to live. Congestive heart failure was killing him slowly. Diabetes denied him the option of a transplanted heart. He could barely walk. Stairs were out of the question.

But the 60-year-old Otis Orchards resident held on, not knowing whether each day would be his last, until his ex-wife found something on the Internet late last year that gave Rice his future back. An international biotechnology company called TheraVitae could extract Rice’s adult stem cells from less than a pint of his own blood, reproduce them in a lab and then inject them back into his heart.

“The more I read about it, I didn’t see it as a gamble,” Rice said. “I felt confident it was going to work – and it did.”

Scientists isolated adult stem cells from Rice’s blood, multiplied them and differentiated them into millions of stem cells that were implanted into his coronary artery. The effects of this stem cell therapy were immediate.

Rice, who is due to have new tests soon, said he is getting around better than he has in years. “I’ve been around a lot of people with bad hearts,” Rice said. “I know if they looked at it, it might save their lives. I firmly believe it saved mine.”

Jacki Rabon

In August 2003 when Jacki was 16 years old, she suffered an injury to her spine that left her paralyzed. She fractured her spine which made her a paraplegic. Jacki spent over a month in the hospital, sometimes crying constantly, closing her eyes to avoid talking to visitors, and staring at the ceiling. She didn’t want to face the reality of her situation and thought it would have been better if she had died.

In April of 2004 something happened that gave her new hope. Her pastor alerted her to a PBS special called, “The Miracle Cell” featuring a procedure being done in Portugal by Dr. Carlos Lima. Two girls told of having this procedure and now were walking with braces. Jacki was eventually accepted into Dr. Lima’s program.

Jacki went to Portugal and had the procedure done on October 29, 2005. She returned home to Michigan and began aggressive rehab. After eight months, Jacki had leg braces and could walk independently on parallel bars and with a walker.

Jacki says: “People have asked me what I think of stem cell research. Before the accident I never really gave it much thought. But today I have reflected on the issue often. I do not support embryonic stem cell research. I think it is morally wrong -- the killing of another human being no matter what stage of life. But I do support adult stem cell research. …….To sum this up, I want to end on a very personal note…...adult stem cell treatment and aggressive rehab enabled me to think beyond this wheelchair. I can truly say that after learning about this procedure and the inspiring hope has caused my tears of sadness to change into tears of joy. I can walk!!!!”

Cathy Pell

In her second month of pregnancy, Cathy Pell decided to bank her cord blood. Little did she know how important that decision would become. During birth, Abby Pell aspirated miconium fluid into her lungs, causing what doctors would later diagnose as moderate to severe brain damage. The prognosis was bleak.

Abby’s parents became convinced that cord blood could help their daughter and eventually found a doctor at Duke University who agreed to help. After her infusion at four months of age, Abby locked eyes with her mother and smiled for the first time. Days later, her astonished visual therapist joyfully reported that Abby could track objects for the first time and had new endurance for her therapy. Before her infusions, Abby could only withstand 15 minutes of therapy. After only two treatments, she was alert for the entire hour, progress never predicted by her doctors.

Abby began playing with toys appropriately and extending her arms to touch things. She is learning balance and blowing raspberries, an indication that she is gaining oral motor control imperative for speech. She is taking the physical journey toward walking.

David Foege

Three years ago, doctors told David Foege of Naples, Florida, there was little hope that he would recover from heart failure – he was even told to find a hospice. He rejected that option to seek alternatives. He eventually underwent a treatment overseas administered by the TheraVitae healthcare company that used his own adult stem cells.

About a month after his treatment, David was up and walking; at 90 days after, lab tests showed 50% improvement in his heart condition and also some improvement in symptoms from a prior stroke.

Stephen Sprague

About 10 years ago, Steve was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia-CML. Finding himself at the end stage of the disease and unable to find an unrelated marrow donor, doctors did not think Steve had long to live. Steve then became one of the first adult patients to participate in a clinical trial using cord blood as a stem cell source.

Following his cord blood treatment eight years ago, Steve was judged cured of his leukemia.

Mary Schneider

Mary’s son, Ryan, had medical problems that began at birth. He had difficulty with feedings and was falling behind with his motor skills. By the age of two, Ryan could say only two words and weighed merely 25 pounds. In July 2005, he was diagnosed with mild to moderate cerebral palsy.

For Mary and her husband Steve, the light went on the morning following Ryan’s diagnosis. Mary looked at Steve and said, “The doctor said brain injury. We saved his cord blood! I wonder if they’re using those stem cells to treat cerebral palsy.” After a frustrating search, they finally found a doctor at Duke University who agreed to transplant Ryan’s cord blood cells. The simple procedure took place in October of 2005. The stem cells know where they need to go and land there fairly quickly.

Eight months post infusion, Ryan’s progress was more than remarkable. He no longer needed occupational therapy as the dexterity in his hands and arms returned. His feeding issues were gone within 30 days and his weight went to normal. At three, Ryan speaks clearly and in sentences.

Doctors caution that although these changes took place post cord blood transfusion, proper research has not been completed.

Personal stories printed with permission from Do No Harm: The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics (www.stemcellresearch.org).