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David Traub was a man with an ailing heart. Normally not an adventurous man, David was forced to go all the way to Thailand to receive his own adult stem cell to treat his heart disease.

His case was featured in the National Geographic documentary “Supercell,” now being shown on the National Geographic channel. “I never imagined I would have to travel all the way to Thailand for stem cell treatment & get filmed by National Geographic,” David exclaimed.

David along with his partner Jay made the long journey to Thailand in September, 2006. “My cardiologist did not even think I would survive the plane ride.” David did survive the plane ride & headed to Bangkok Heart Hospital where his own adult stem cells were injected directly into his heart muscle to attempt to improve his congestive heart failure.

David likes to relate a recent appointment with his cardiologist, almost one year after his stem cell treatment. “I was sitting in the waiting room & the doctor came running in with his eyes agape.” “He said David, your test results are normal, not normal for you, but normal for anyone. Your heart has revascularized itself… It has to be the stem cell therapy!” David thinks his cardiologist is now convinced.

While David’s heart problems are not over, the stem cells have improved his condition & he is thrilled about the extra blood supply to his heart.

As adult stem cell therapy for the heart is still unavailable in the United States, patients are now traveling overseas to Thailand & Singapore for their treatment. The stem cell treatment is noncontroversial as the stem cells are removed from the patient & then multiplied to later be implanted back into the coronary arteries or heart muscle in a simple procedure. Patients like David must continue to leave the United States to seek treatment as the FDA has not yet approved this procedure even though it’s in the trial stage.

Jerry Steele is Patient Relations Manager of Theravitae, a company that treats heart disease with adult stem cell therapy Vescell. The company also maintains a blog - Stem Cell Therapy Blog.

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