Do you or a family member or close friend have a significant illness or disability? Through adult stem cell treatment, there is hope for diseases and injuries that were once considered hopeless. But stem cell treatment is not available in the U.S., and those seeking it must make costly trips outside of the U.S. for it. Equally distressing is lately I've recently heard physicians on TV stating that stem cell treatment doesn't work. Here are the facts. You decide.

About three years ago, National Geographic filmed a documentary, SuperCell. In it, they followed five people to China where they documented and filmed this diverse groups' experiences before, during and after the time they received adult stem cell treatment. Three out of the five, all of whom were dying or seriously injured, improved dramatically.

Oddly, SuperCell was released all over the world but not in the U.S. I have a link to it at the end of this blog.

One of the people National Geo followed is my neighbor, David Aldrich. Seven years ago David became a quadriplegic and blind as the result of a tragic swimming accident. After his stem cell treatment, David regained his vision and while he remains a quad, his physical condition has improved significantly. I have video of him on this blog both before and after treatment.

I have researched and written about David's experience, and my articles on him have appeared in the Sun-Sentinel and in China Daily USA. Rutgers University picked up one of my stories about David.

I don't understand why physicians aren't lobbying to have adult stem cell treatment performed in the U.S. instead of saying it doesn't work. David is only one of many who has benefited from it.

There are no ethics issues with adult stem cells because the stem cells are taken from another person including newborns. Or they are taken from the patients own tissue, which is even better because then then there is no chance of rejection.

The following is my neighbor's horrific journey as he went from being a healthy 40ish man to a blind,quadriplegic and then a sighted quad w after receiving adult stem cell treatment. If you have the time, I encourage you to watch SuperCell. It is as interesting as it is informative about this brave new world of medicine.

David Aldrich of Delray Beach nearly drown in a tragic swimming accident in 2002. Months later when the then 44-year-old fully awoke from a coma, he found himself blind and paralyzed from the top of his chest down - a quadriplegic.

"I cried like a baby," David said.

In 2006, David traveled to a hospital in China for stem cell treatments accompanied by a family member, an aide and a crew from National Geographic. The crew filmed David's experience and those of four other seriously ill individuals - including a young child.

Almost miraculously, three weeks and several treatments later, David regained his vision. "It was a pretty tearful and emotional event," he said.

The stem cells used to treat him were harvested from the cord blood (blood that remains in the placenta and attached umbilical cord after birth) of a Chinese baby. This treatment is not being performed in the U.S.

National Geographic produced a documentary, Supercell, featuring David and the other four people who had treatments. The film was shown in most other countries, but not in the U.S. It can be seen at the bottom of this blog in it's entirety.
It is fabulous.

According to David’s opthomologist, Dr. Adriana Saker of the Jaffe Eye Institute, David’s vision in both eyes was 2100 before his treatment, and he could see only dark and light. Normal vision is 20/20.

Today, David's vision is 20/30 in his right eye and 20/50 in his left eye. Saker has no explanation.

David’s limbs, speech, core body strength and breathing have also dramatically improved, and while still legally blind, he sees well enough to read. David requires aides 24/7, but now he frequently rides around his neighborhood unassisted in his motorized wheelchair - his dog, Skipper, running along side him. "That's huge," David said.

David's story in his words

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