Archive for July, 2014

Stem Cell Treatment Instead of Surgery

Friday, July 25th, 2014

Source:  http://www.mywabashvalley.com/

Jim Virostko has farmed his entire life.

“From the time I was big enough to start helping out on the farm they kept me busy,” Virostko said.

The last six years on his Parke County farm have been especially tough though.

Not because of lost cattle, or bad crops, but rather a painful shoulder.

“It was quite a nagging pain,” Virostko said.

“Jim was just in a lot of pain all the time,” Pam Virostko, Jim’s wife said.

Doctors told the couple a complete shoulder replacement was the only way to permanently relieve the pain caused by osteoarthritis.

His wife had something else in mind.

“we asked surgeons, hospitals and doctors and really they didn’t know about stem cell therapy,” Pam Virostko said.

That’s when fate stepped in.

“I thought this is our referral, this is the referral we’re looking for,” Pam Virostko said.

Pam sent an email asking for Doctor Lox’s contact information.

One month later, the couple was in Florida preparing for Jim’s stem cell replacement procedure.

And the rest is history.

“I had basically instant relief from that point on,” Jim Virostko.

Jim and his wife, Pam share their story in this video.

Life Saving Stem Cells For Brother

Saturday, July 19th, 2014

Until March of last year, Ed Dee was a commercial pilot.  He’s been grounded by cancer since then.

Ed Dee was diagnosed with Leukemia, and following unsuccessful treatments, doctors opted to perform a stem cell transplant on him.

His brothers proved to not be donor matches, but his sister Jennifer was.

A stem cell transplant introduces new cells that can multiply — producing healthy blood again, but first, the procedure needs to be successful.

Jennifer reports thousands go through the procedure every year, but most cases depend on a match from a stranger.

Doctors say approximately 30 percent of the time patients can find a match within their family. It’s the best possible result as the more similar the DNA between donor and recipient — the higher likelihood the new stem cells will be accepted.

Dee’s stem cell transplant took place on his 54th birthday. The celebration was limited to his hospital room, but there was no better gift than the one his sister had already given him: A chance to cure his Leukemia, and maybe fly again one day.

“How do you thank someone for life?” Dee said.

“My dad always used to say any landing you can walk away from is a good one,” Dee said.

Dee received about 4.5 million stem cells from Jennifer, and after recovering in the hospital the family tells us he’s back home and continuing to improve.

Watch this heartwarming video.

Source: MILWAUKEE (WITI). Foxnow6.com