The irrefutable success of stem cell treatments Miami’s Community … – Miami’s Community Newspapers

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In my opinion, one of the hardest things to accept is a new type of medical treatment, particularly when it changes the philosophy, parameters and overall results that we are expecting and basically used to receiving. Stem cells are undoubtedly no exception to this rule.

About six weeks ago, Eduardo K (a Cuban doctor with a Masters Degree from the University of Pittsburg in internal medicine and nephrology), brought his wife Maria to our institute, in order to assess the possibility of using stem cells to cure the severe chronic pain in her ankle; a pain so severe that it was basically hindering her ability to walk. Dr. K also expressed his extreme hesitation and concerns about having his wife involved in an invasive ankle surgery at this stage of her adult life.

However, while conducting our usual examining process, reviewing her medical records and MRIs and thoroughly discussing my overall recommendations about a potential stem cell transplant, I quickly realized that Dr. K was not a true believer in Stem Cell therapies, since he thought that there was not much medical evidence of their actual effectiveness and he ultimately also confessed that his wife had basically dragged him to accompany her to this particular appointment.

As always, I respectfully explained the reality that stem cells actually repair the damaged cartilage in a microscopic type fashion and thus, while this repair process would not be clearly reflected immediately on future X-rays, I assured them that the pain she was suffering from will soon subside and possibly even completely disappear. In addition, I expressed that I was extremely confident that she would also regain her mobility skills after the procedure, even if this improvement could not be easily detected via a radiological image.

Since Marias options were somewhat limited, added to the fact that months of traditional physical therapy, injections, medications and previous surgeries had completely failed her, Dr. K finally agreed to grant his wifes wishes to have her stem cell transplant (from her own bone marrow and fat) performed, although he was still very skeptical about the process and was showing little enthusiasm.

This morning, both of them attended our follow up appointment (six weeks after the procedure) and surprisingly, Maria and Dr. K happily confirmed that she felt at least 60 percent better, something that no previous traditional medical treatments had been able to accomplish. It was then that I explained to them that her stem cells had acted much faster than expected (something that possibly taught Dr. K an interesting lesson).

As we began to say our goodbyes, the doctor told me (first in English, then in Spanish) that: in spite of my skepticism about stem cell therapies, I can personally attest that the successful results seen on my wife have been irrefutable, and with a smile on both of their faces, they gratefully thanked my staff and I for this amazing improvement.

As I continued to replay the words expressed by this doctor over and over in my mind, I quickly realized how truly incredulous human beings tend to be, with most of us often needing to fail several times at accomplishing something before being able to realize and accept that we were truly mistaken in the first place!

So if you, a friend or relative would like to receive Stem Cell or PRP treatments, please call us at 305-598-7777. For information visit: http://www.stemcellmia.com (available in both English and Spanish), or watch our amazing video-testimonies on our YouTube Chanel and also please follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you would like to ask a question directly to Dr. Castellanos, please do so via his direct email: stemdoc305@gmail.com.

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The irrefutable success of stem cell treatments Miami's Community ... - Miami's Community Newspapers

Kelly Osbourne Campaigning to Make Stem Cell Therapy Affordable in America – Hollywood.com

Wenn

Singer-turned-TV personality Kelly Osbourne wants to help cure fellow Lyme disease sufferers by making stem cell therapy available for all in the U.S.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbournes daughter contracted the condition after she was bitten by a tick during a party for the rockers 56th birthday back in 2004, when her mother had a reindeer sanctuary installed at their Los Angeles home.

However, Kelly wasnt properly diagnosed until 2014, months after suffering a seizure while filming an episode of E!s Fashion Police show in 2013, when doctors claimed her collapse had been caused by epilepsy.

She did some research into her ailments and discovered she was actually struggling with Lyme disease, and promptly sought out alternative treatment to help her overcome the illness.

I started to actually do the one thing doctors tell you not to do and thats to go online and look it up, she explained on Good Morning America, and all roads pointed to Lyme disease so I found a doctor through my mum.

I went to Frankfurt, Germany, and I did stem cell (therapy) and I got cured, Kelly claimed.

The 32-year-old is lucky to have been in a position to afford the treatment, which involves the transplant of stem cells to heal those damaged by the disease, and now she is looking to get involved in making the therapy more widely available and affordable to others less fortunate.

It sickens me that thats not available to everyone and that you have to be considered lucky or privileged to get that sort of treatment, she said. I want to make sure and I will do anything that I can do to make sure that that treatment is available in this country.

Kelly details her experience with the bacterial infection in her new memoir There Is No F**king Secret: Letters from a Bada** B**ch. She isnt the only celebrity to open up about her struggles with Lyme disease pop star Avril Lavigne, and veteran model Yolanda Hadid and her runway star kids Bella and Anwar Hadid have also been battling the illness.

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Kelly Osbourne Campaigning to Make Stem Cell Therapy Affordable in America - Hollywood.com

Foyt recovering from stem cell treatment – Racer

He spent a week in Mexico undergoing stem cell treatments and underwent successful surgery Wednesday on his right foot so they wouldn't have to amputate a toe. But, as you might imagine, A.J. Foyt won't let his latest medical travails alter his 60-year routine.

"I'm feeling a little rough today because I just got home from the hospital but I'll be in Indianapolis next month, so that should make me feel better," said the 82-year-old legend who is fielding three cars for Conor Daly, Carlos Munoz and Zach Veach in the 101st Indy 500. "And we damn sure better run better than we did last weekend."

The original four-time Indianapolis 500 winner's toughness has never been in question as he's defied death on and off the race track for seven decades.

His greatest hits list reads like this:

And since he retired from driving it's not been any easier. He received an artificial left knee in 2006, was in for heart surgery in 2010, was admitted to the hospital while fighting a staph infection in 2012, had his right knee replaced, left hip replaced, and had back surgery performed in 2013.

In 2014, IndyCar's all-time winner underwent successful triple by-pass surgery, then got infected and spent eight days on a ventilator and 10 days in ICU while he fought off sepsis.

Because of all his injuries and arthritis, A.J. has been in constant pain in his legs, feet, ankles, shoulders and back to he was convinced to try stem cell therapy. He spent April 11-19 in Cancun because Mexico can grow the volume of stem cells in the hundreds of millions whereas it's only hundreds of thousands in the USA.

"They told me I should start feeling better in two-and-half to three months," said the man who came to IMS as a rookie in 1958, drove in 35 consecutive Indy 500s and has never missed a month of May since. "And yesterday they thought I might lose a toe but they figured out a way to keep it and straighten it out. They're good people but I'm tired of being cut on.

"They said I needed to be back at the hospital next month to get the stitches out and I told them 'no chance.' I'll get some tweezers and pull 'em out myself because next month I'm booked."

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Foyt recovering from stem cell treatment - Racer

Kelly Osbourne Campaigning to Make Stem Cell Therapy Affordable … – Hollywood.com

Wenn

Singer-turned-TV personality Kelly Osbourne wants to help cure fellow Lyme disease sufferers by making stem cell therapy available for all in the U.S.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbournes daughter contracted the condition after she was bitten by a tick during a party for the rockers 56th birthday back in 2004, when her mother had a reindeer sanctuary installed at their Los Angeles home.

However, Kelly wasnt properly diagnosed until 2014, months after suffering a seizure while filming an episode of E!s Fashion Police show in 2013, when doctors claimed her collapse had been caused by epilepsy.

She did some research into her ailments and discovered she was actually struggling with Lyme disease, and promptly sought out alternative treatment to help her overcome the illness.

I started to actually do the one thing doctors tell you not to do and thats to go online and look it up, she explained on Good Morning America, and all roads pointed to Lyme disease so I found a doctor through my mum.

I went to Frankfurt, Germany, and I did stem cell (therapy) and I got cured, Kelly claimed.

The 32-year-old is lucky to have been in a position to afford the treatment, which involves the transplant of stem cells to heal those damaged by the disease, and now she is looking to get involved in making the therapy more widely available and affordable to others less fortunate.

It sickens me that thats not available to everyone and that you have to be considered lucky or privileged to get that sort of treatment, she said. I want to make sure and I will do anything that I can do to make sure that that treatment is available in this country.

Kelly details her experience with the bacterial infection in her new memoir There Is No F**king Secret: Letters from a Bada** B**ch. She isnt the only celebrity to open up about her struggles with Lyme disease pop star Avril Lavigne, and veteran model Yolanda Hadid and her runway star kids Bella and Anwar Hadid have also been battling the illness.

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Kelly Osbourne Campaigning to Make Stem Cell Therapy Affordable ... - Hollywood.com

Kelly Osbourne campaigning to make stem cell therapy affordable in America – TV3.ie

25th Apr 17 | Entertainment News

Singer-turned-TV personality Kelly Osbourne wants to help cure fellow Lyme disease sufferers by making stem cell therapy available for all in the U.S.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's daughter contracted the condition after she was bitten by a tick during a party for the rocker's 56th birthday back in 2004, when her mother had a reindeer sanctuary installed at their Los Angeles home.

However, Kelly wasn't properly diagnosed until 2014, months after suffering a seizure while filming an episode of E!'s Fashion Police show in 2013, when doctors claimed her collapse had been caused by epilepsy.

She did some research into her ailments and discovered she was actually struggling with Lyme disease, and promptly sought out alternative treatment to help her overcome the illness.

"I started to actually do the one thing doctors tell you not to do and that's to go online and look it up...," she explained on U.S. breakfast show Good Morning America, "and all roads pointed to Lyme disease so I found a doctor through my mum.

"I went to Frankfurt, Germany, and I did stem cell (therapy) and I got cured," Kelly claimed.

The 32-year-old is lucky to have been in a position to afford the treatment, which involves the transplant of stem cells to heal those damaged by the disease, and now she is looking to get involved in making the therapy more widely available and affordable to others less fortunate.

"It sickens me that that's not available to everyone and that you have to be considered lucky or privileged to get that sort of treatment," she said. "I want to make sure and I will do anything that I can do to make sure that that treatment is available in this country."

Kelly details her experience with the bacterial infection in her new memoir There Is No F**king Secret: Letters from a Bada** B**ch. She isn't the only celebrity to open up about her struggles with Lyme disease - pop star Avril Lavigne, and veteran model Yolanda Hadid and her runway star kids Bella and Anwar Hadid have also been battling the illness.

WENN Newsdesk 2017

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Kelly Osbourne campaigning to make stem cell therapy affordable in America - TV3.ie

Experimental Stem Cell Therapy Could Treat Damaged Knee Cartilage – BU News Service

Skiing in Aspen, Sean Fair mistimed a landing and felt a shooting pain in his right knee as he crumpled into the snow. He had to slide down the steep slope on his left ski. The doctor revealed that Fairs agony originated from a quarter-sized hole in the cartilage of his knee.

For an active person like Fair, traditional surgery options, like a total knee replacement, restrict motion and are less than ideal. Advances in experimental cartilage repair stem cell treatments, however, now offer new opportunities for young patients to preserve mobility, that defining value of youth.

Fair played football, among other sports, in high school. He played tennis in college and continued to play until he had his ski incident at the age of 31.

All of a sudden, not being able to do anything, I felt 80, he said. All my friends would play tennis together but I would have to sit back and watch.

Sean Fair was diagnosed with OCD, or osteochondritis dissecans. This condition typically develops in teenagers but doesnt usually present symptoms until adulthood when the joint experiences some form of trauma. OCD lesions involve holes, cracks, or loose articular cartilage in a joint.

Fair met with Dr. Andreas Gomoll, an orthopedic surgeon at the Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. They discussed knee replacement surgery, microfracture surgery and the possibility of using healthy cartilage from a cadaver donor.

Knee replacement surgery for patients as young as Fair often results with low satisfaction. People who receive the standard metal and plastic knee replacement are functionally limited and face unexpected physical challenges when it comes to activities more intense than a walk. Microfracture surgery would be better, but Fairs injury was too large for that to be practical. Fair and Gomoll decided to wait for a cadaver donor. While waiting, however, Fair joined a clinical trial to test a new approach that would fill the gap in his cartilage with stem cells.

Stem cells can be thought of as undecided cells. Theyre mostly present in embryos and neonates, but they are also found in adults as well. Given the correct environment, and depending on the type of stem cell, they can become more specific cells, like muscle cells or cartilage-forming cells. In Fairs case, Gomoll used donated umbilical cord stem cells from healthy babies delivered in the US. Umbilical cord stem cells are useful because they are able to morph into cartilage-forming cells, they dont require the destruction of an embryo and they have immunosuppressive properties that wouldnt cause Fairs body to reject them.

Anatomical representation of the human knee.

The procedure looked simple. Gomoll made a vertical incision in Fairs kneecap, cutting through the skin and the yellow fat to expose the white cartilage. Gomoll used stainless steel tools to clamp open the incision, while he used a metal ring spanner to scrape the edges of the cartilage pothole. (Picture using a spoon to carve a hole in a large eraser.) Next, the surgeon drilled seven coffee stirrer-sized holes into the bone at the bottom of the quarter-sized pothole. He injected the clear stem cell gel into each coffee stirrer-sized hole and then filled the quarter-sized hole up to its edges with the rest of the stem cell gel. Gomoll smoothed down the stem cell gel like icing on a cake. Then he sutured the wound closed.

Fair wasnt quick to start walking right after the procedure. His knee needed to heal and then he would have to follow a strict rehabilitation process of weekly physical therapy sessions.

Months after his surgery, the stem cells in Fairs knee developed into chondrocytes, cells that secrete a matrix of cartilage, and sealed the pothole in Fairs knee. As of now, Fair is thankful for his treatment. His right knee has healed, but hes still not at 100 percent.

My other knee unfortunately, because of all the issues the [right knee] had, also needs reconstruction, Fair said. Ive got to be careful when I carry my two-and-half-yearold down the steps. Functionally I can walk. I can chase him. I can outrun him, still. Other than that, its not a lot of peripheral movement I can do yet.

According to Gomoll, about 15 other Americans have received the same experimental treatment as Fair. Before this therapy can be offered at any hospital in the US, the clinical trial must obtain FDA approval after proving its efficacy with a larger, more randomized sample of patients. But Gomoll doesnt seem too worried. He says hundreds of patients in South Korea have already undergone the same procedure. Getting there will take some time and money; running comprehensive trials is expensive. Once the procedure is approved, Gomoll imagines thousands of cartilage damaged patients like Fair would potentially be treated with stem cells in the United States.

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Experimental Stem Cell Therapy Could Treat Damaged Knee Cartilage - BU News Service

Stem cell-based treatment prevents transplant rejection, in animal study – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Organ transplant rejection might eventually be preventable by giving recipients an immune-suppressing vaccine derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, according to a study led by Japanese researchers.

In mice, the treatment allowed permanent acceptance of heart grafts by selectively inhibiting the immune response to the donor graft, said the study, published April 20 in Stem Cell Reports. The work might also be applicable to autoimmune diseases, the study said.

The study can be found at j.mp/ipscden. The co-first authors were Songjie Cai, Jiangang Hou, and Masayuki Fujino. The senior author was Xiao-Kang Li. All are of the National Research Institute for Child Health and Development in Tokyo.

The IPS cells were matured into donor-type regulatory dendritic cells (DCregs) which in turn caused production of tolerance-inducing regulatory T cells, or Tregs, that allow the graft to be treated as self.

While the technology looks good, a UC San Diego stem cell researcher said it faces a number of hurdles that make practical use of it difficult, especially the difficulty in producing the donor-derived regulatory cells in time to be of use in a transplant.

Use of these Tregs and immature DCregs for transplant has been investigated for several years now. In theory, they would provide a better method of preventing rejection than immunosuppressive drugs that knock down immune functioning across the board.

However, activating Tregs must be done precisely, or other T cell types will be activated, increasing the risk of rejection.

The study found that donor-type dendritic cells reliably activated Tregs and not the other types. Peptide antigens from the graft directed naive CD4+ T cells to mature into donor-specific Tregs, providing a selective immune signal to tolerate the graft.

Use of IPS cells for producing these immune regulatory cells is quite novel, said Dan Kaufman, director of cell therapy at UC San Diego, and affiliated with the universitys Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center.

Obviously, it fits my interest in making immune cells from ES and IPS cells, Kaufman said. The ability to use these cells to suppress transplant rejection seems quite strong. I think the data is all good.

That said, the findings could be strengthened by extending the work from animals to human xenografts, he said. That would demonstrate that human IPS cells can similarly function, although it would be challenging.

Another limitation is the need to use donor-derived cells to induce immune tolerance.

How you would translate that would be unclear to me, Kaufman said.

Are you going to get a heart and then make IPS cells from that donor, which obviously you couldnt do in a reasonable time frame? Could you create a bank of these types of cells that might be suitable for certain patient populations with certain HLA types? Im not sure. I think that gets a little more speculative.

Another speculative possibility is to make the donor-derived IPS cells grow into an organ, and then also create the immune-regulating cells from these IPS cells to selectively induce tolerance.

But were still, I think, a long ways off from having IPS-derived organs, he said.

Autoimmune disease treatment with this technology is worth exploring, Kaufman said. In that case, the IPSCs would be made from the patients themselves.

More than 118,000 Americans are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

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Stem cell-based treatment prevents transplant rejection, in animal study - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Stem cells and the art of giving – Zee News (blog)

Madhu Srivastava/IANS

Our health scenario has undergone drastic changes over the past few decades. Is it not fair to say that given today`s lifestyles, finding someone who is completely fit and healthy is quite rare?

In an attempt to take precautions, people are doing their best such as exercising, controlling their diet, taking health supplements, undergoing periodic health check-ups and what not. However, these are only precautionary or preventive measures. How can you protect yourself or your family in the worst case of being diagnosed by a disorder that could take you by surprise?

The good news is that while more new diseases are being discovered, medical science is also growing at a matching pace with treatment solutions for such conditions. Here comes the role of stem cells. Stem cell treatment has been found to be a solution for many ailments that are not treatable by conventional methods of surgery or medication. Diseases such as leukemia ans thalassemia can now be treated by stem cells with a hope of survival, which was not possible even a decade or so ago.

As stem cell medicine keeps advancing with more conditions being researched, the future sounds quite promising as more and more disorders that were once considered as permanent or terminal will soon become treatable.

But, the question is, where does one find these stem cells? Well, the answer is, within you; in your bone marrow.

Unfortunately in more than 80 per cent of these disorders, your own stem cells cannot be used and you would need to seek them from someone else. Here comes the challenge of finding a matching donor and someone who is willing to donate his stem cells. Alternatively, you can source stem cells from a public bank which preserves umbilical cord stem cells of donors. Here, in addition to the rarity of finding a matching stem cell of Indian ethnicity, the problem gets compounded with the need of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for stem cell treatment. Seven out of 10 patients who require a matching stem cell do not find a match in their family.

Can this scenario change? Is there a hope for treating such dreaded conditions? The answer is yes. If you are expecting a baby in your family, then you are blessed.

We say a child is a blessing from God, which is true in real terms. While as parents we bless our children, now the baby can bless us to stay protected against such medical conditions.

The baby`s umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells. These can be collected and preserved at the time of birth for future use so that it can come to the rescue when required. With the new concept of community stem cell banking by one of the leading stem cell banks in the country which preserves a baby`s stem cells by making him/her a member of the community of parents who have also preserved their baby`s stem cells. The stem cell of all the babies within the community forms a collective pool to be accessed by all members.

Hence, at any given time, one can access donor stem cells from this collective pool for treatment, protecting not just your baby but your family too from such ailments. There is only the initial cost of preserving your baby`s stem cells which is much lower than sourcing stem cells from a public stem cell bank. More importantly, the probability of finding a match of Indian ethnicity is higher and stem cells are readily available for treatment when required.

If you are worried about the uncertainties over the health of your family, you can now rest assured that your baby`s birth will now bless your family with the protection of good health.

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Stem cells and the art of giving - Zee News (blog)

Research Roundup: March for Science, promising headway in stem cell treatments, new treatment for cystic fibrosis … – Speaking of Research

Welcome to this weeks Research Roundup.These Friday posts aim to inform our readers about the many stories that relate to animal research each week. Do you have an animal research story we should include in next weeks Research Roundup? You can send it to us viaour Facebook pageor through thecontact formon the website.

The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity.We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good and for political leaders and policy makers to enact evidence based policies in the public interest. https://www.marchforscience.com/ #MarchforScience

Somatic stem cells exist naturally in the body. They are important for growth, healing, and replacing cells that are lost daily through wear and tear. Source: University of Utah

Zebrafish: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Image courtesy of National Library of Medicne

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Research Roundup: March for Science, promising headway in stem cell treatments, new treatment for cystic fibrosis ... - Speaking of Research

John McNaughton hopes stem cell treatment in Mexico will halt his MS symptoms – the Irish News

the Irish News

John McNaughton hopes stem cell treatment in Mexico will halt his MS symptoms the Irish News GLENS of Antrim man John McNaughton is hoping that stem cell treatment in Mexico can halt the symptoms of the Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis he was diagnosed with six years ago. The 43-year-old's condition has deteriorated rapidly and he ...

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John McNaughton hopes stem cell treatment in Mexico will halt his MS symptoms - the Irish News