David Foege, PhD, Presentation at “A Toast”
A Toast to Adult and Cord Blood Stem Cells: Helping Patients Now and in the Future
Senate Russell Office Building 385
David Foege, Ph.D.
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 invitation seeking alternatives.
He followed in June 2005 with an attempted stem cell treatment in Brazil. It was not administered because the Brazilian physicians overdosed him with blood thinners giving him a hemrorig stroke with a coma a 50+ days of paralysis. He survived and is here today.
With a history of over 40 hospital admissions over the last 10 years for heart failure, open heart surgery, and a $2 million hospital bill, he was truly an end stage candidate for stem cells. He was truly one of the most profoundly compromised patients which any physician would attempt.
An additional condition was any treatment could cause a rejection jeopardizing his existing 23 year old successful kidney transplant.
With a very trademark positive attitude and most uncertain future at best, David then went To Bangkok for a treatment administered by the Theravitae healthcare company that used his own adult stem cells. About a month after his treatment, David was up and walking. Now at 90 days post stem cells, his lab tests demonstrate a 50%+ improvement in his heart condition and some improved function from the stroke symptoms.
This is the same adult stem cell treatment that was recently used to treat the legendary Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho for heart disease. The treatment was developed by Dr. Amit Patel M.D., Director of Cardiac Stem Cell Therapies at The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
The surgery done by US Board certified cardiologists used the newest de Vinci robotic system which minimized the severity of surgery.