Michigan mother Tammy Henderson’s decision to seek stem cell treatment was not an easy one. But 2 ½ years later, she thinks she made the right decision.
Tammy’s story begins over 20 years ago, with what was a seemingly run-of-the-mill case of bronchitis.
“I was just 20 years old. I had bronchitis for a month that wouldn’t go away. They determined I had Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes Stage 2B. I underwent chemotherapy and radiation, which put me into remission, and I stayed that way for 11 years.”
So Tammy’s life was back to normal. She got married, had kids and was enjoying her life. Then the bottom fell out.
“In 2001, when I was just 31, I had a massive heart attack and emergency bypass. The doctors think the chemo drugs and/or radiation caused me to get three blockages. I underwent emergency double bypass surgery, and upon awakening from the surgery, they told me that it would be in my best interest to get a heart transplant within six months or I would die.”
“No family was around when they told this to me, and I was devastated. I had two children ages 3 and 7. The news gave me the push to look for something better. I went through the whole transplant evaluation, tests and immunizations. But even with that information, I felt this wasn’t what I was supposed to do. Through much research, I decided that they should try to fix my mitral valve before I took the steps toward transplant.”
“This I felt could buy me more time until something better came around. So, I talked my surgeon into fixing my mitral valve. He agreed but didn’t feel I would get the results I was searching for. I was right. I was so much better after the surgery.”
So you are thinking that most people would stop here, accepting that they feel better and continue on with their normal life. But Tammy was not satisfied with the “quick fix” and continued searching for the one thing that would make a definite improvement in her quality of life and offer her hope for a future with her husband and children.
“I spent hours on the computer every day, when I discovered a company called Theravitae. They would use my own stem cells to repair my heart. I was told the cost of treatment in Thailand, and so I began to fundraise.”
“I started with no money, but in one year, thanks to many generous people, my family and two fundraisers had enough money. We booked our trip to Bangkok, Thailand. We went in 2008, and I had my stem cell injection through a catheterization. The company sent my cells to Israel where they multiplied my cells to 19.5 million cells.”
“The cells worked like soldiers and started repairing the damage that the heart attach caused. I experienced no side effects, and in a few months, I started seeing results from the treatment. My breathing improved, and I depended less on my Lasix. I could go days at times without feeling I needed it.
Now, 2 ½ years later, Tammy is a vibrant, active mother of two adolescent children. She is a strong support of adult stem cells, and feels that her treatment caused a profound change in her life.
“I can keep up with my family on hiking trips. I feel almost normal again. My ejection fraction went up some, I am less depressed and I don’t feel I’m going to die any day now.”
“I still hear them saying what they told me after the bypass, but I know now that they were wrong. I am 2 ½ years out and I’m feeling great.”
“I believe adult stem cells could be a treatment for all ailments instead of drugs.”
VesCell™ uses a patient’s own adult stem cells to treat Heart Disease and is a viable alternative for patients who either cannot undergo or choose not to undergo the standard treatment such as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), heart transplants, or receiving maximal therapy. The company focused on using stem cells from the patient’s own blood in order to treat a variety of disorders, especially cardiovascular diseases. The company has developed a proprietary stem cell technology called VesCell™ that is currently being used by hospitals in Thailand to treat patients with heart disease. The company has treatment centers in Bangkok, Dominican Republic, and soon in Europe.
VesCell Web Site – http://www.vescell.com
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