MEDICAL RESEARCH: GF man is saved by the stem cell

Grand Forks Herald ^ | Jul. 31, 2006 | Ryan Bakken

[skeptoid]

Experimental treatment makes 70-year-old a poster boy for science Mike Swendseid seemingly had run out of options in battling heart disease.

The Grand Forks man had angioplasty. He underwent quadruple-bypass heart surgery. Inside him were four wires, two stents, a pacemaker and a defibrillator.

"After the last stent, doctors told me there was nothing more they could do for Mike," said his wife, Marion.

But, as science progressed, there was something. In January, the 70-year-old Swendseid became a recipient of experimental stem cell treatment at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, which is part of Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

The treatment uses Swendseid's own stem cells, so it's different from the controversial embryonic stem cell research. Earlier this month, President Bush vetoed a bill that would have expanded federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, saying the use of the embryos amounts to murder.

[skeptoid]

A rare example of stem cell news that discriminates ESC and ASC.

[VoiceOfBruck]

I know a fellow who beat cancer with his own stem cells.

I haven't heard of a single case of the successful use of embryonic stem cells.

[Orange1998]

Very promising!

[expatpat]

The treatment uses Swendseid's own stem cells

[Vigilanteman]

Since it is a local paper, you only have to read to the fifth paragraph to find out it wasn't a fetal stem cell.

Had this been the NY Slimes, this little "fact" would be buried much deeper, if mentioned at all.

[AZFolks]

This is for information only! Fenwal (a division of Baxter) is conducting trials on stem cells in heart disease in many places across the country.

[skeptoid]

Yes, ... and I love the line: "Swendseid's treatment, which was of no cost to him because it is experimental, took only a few hours and one overnight stay.".
And now he's 'in the pink' (literally, according to his color imaging results).

[tallhappy]

Very promising!

Almost standard and run of the mill treatment for heart damage by now.

No one really knows yet exactly why it works though.

[VOA]

The adult stem-cell cures (or therapies) are sort of watching re-runs of Kung Fu

"The answer lies within yourself, Grasshopper."

(I don't know if that line was ever used, but it would fit)

[mak5]

That's because the embryonic stem cell experiments have not gone well. The usual consequence has been tumor development.

[Suzy Quzy]

It was his OWN stem cells....not some dead fetus. Does anyone think God will let healing be done by harvesting embryonic cells??

[skeptoid]

It was his OWN stem cells....

I know .... I've always trusted Fumento's stuff and this piece is corroboration.

Does anyone think God will let healing be done by harvesting embryonic cells??

I don't know what to think about that, since he 'allows' us to kill innocents in the womb.

[Old Student]

"'Swendseid said his experience has strengthened his support of all stem cell research.

'Based on what has happened to me and based on what all the medical people have told us, this will be the real answer,' he said. 'Just think of the possibilities Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, spinal injuries.'

'It's not to make us live forever. It's so we can feel better when we are living.'"

I think you all missed this part, from the middle of the article. This guy now supports ANY kind of stem cell research.

[siunevada]

I haven't heard of a single case of the successful use of embryonic stem cells.

To a skeptic, it might seem like a cynical search for government funding regardless of the lack of success to date.

Or maybe it's just so very much more complicated than using stem cells from other sources that actually produce results. /sarcasm

[VOA]

I wish I could know how many adult stem-cell cures/therapies that
makes so I could make the scoreboard with that goose-egg for the embryonics.

(BUT...maybe some day the embryonics will meet or exceed the adult stem-cells...
but I want cures that will be useful before I croak!)

[tutstar]

PING...

[skeptoid]

......I want cures that will be useful before I croak!)...

There are lots of them. Don't know what you're looking for, but Michael Fumento is a good place to start, and he is a prolific source of 'health, safety and science' information. Click Articles, then 'Stem cells'.
He's a voice of reason in a world of chaotic nonsense.

[skeptoid]

......I want cures that will be useful before I croak!)...

There are lots of them. Don't know what you're looking for, but Michael Fumento is a good place to start, and he is a prolific source of 'health, safety and science' information. Click Articles, then 'Stem cells'.
He's a voice of reason in a world of chaotic nonsense.

[skeptoid]

I hate it when that happens@!

[weegee]

Good to see the distinction get noted (if only it had also been in the headline)

Arthur Lee (of the 1960s group Love) underwent a stem cell transplant (sourced from two tablespoons of stem cells collected from a donated umbilical cord) for his leukemia on May 25th, 2006 at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis and is now recuperating and reportedly seeing marked improvement. He claims to be the first adult to have had a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from an umbilical cordin the state of Tennessee.

More here...

http://scenestars.net/2006/05/arthur-lee-music-legend-first-adult-in.php

And certainly more informative that the info on Warner Bros. / Rhino's site:

http://www.rhino.com/rzine/StoryKeeper.lasso?StoryID=840