David Gwinn

My name is David Gwinn I am 73yrs old and live in Northamptonshire. I spent my life as an interior designer for offices working throughout the UK. One of my clients was No 10 Downing Street and I have also enjoyed refurbishing the Aston Martin Head Quarters. Having retired a few years ago I now devote my time to raising money for charities. I look forward to putting my energies and dynamism into raising monies for this wonderful Heart Cells Foundation, who gave me a second chance of life.

Having suffered a heart attack 7yrs ago I arrived at the hospital to be greeted by the stem cell coordinator nurse who asked if I would like to be part of the stem cell trial. Having heard about Stem Cell Organ Regeneration and feeling rather vulnerable laying on the operating table I naturally agreed to accept being treated with my own stem cells with the hope it would regenerate my heart.

4 years later after being monitored as part of the trials I was told that my heart had regenerated to 98% of its original function and was as good as new. Today I feel like a man 20 years younger than me, full of energy, tremendous drive and a zest for life. The Heart Cells Foundation and your support has changed my life.

Owen Palmer

Having suffered an unexplained heart attack in July 2010 at the age of 47, my prognosis was not good. From living an active life that included fencing, sailing, squash and more I was reduced to someone who would breathe heavily and sweat profusely if I tried to walk a hundred yards, requiring rest after such exertion. I was fearful of another heart attack and despondent about my future. The best I was told to hope for was that by taking over 2500 tablets a year for the rest of my life it should hold off another heart attack and potentially increase my heart’s pumping capability by 2 or 3 percent.

Since the one-off stem cell treatment in November 2011, I have gone against convention by reaching a stage where I regularly take my dog of a walk of more than a mile and regularly engage in the Olympic sport of fencing, sometimes fencing against current commonwealth gold medalists. My life has changed dramatically; I am now an active contributor to society, training young children to fence as well as spreading my smile throughout my family.

To the supporters of HCF I would like to say Thanks. I was told by my cardiologist after the heart attack that I would not get better and I should come to terms with this. Because of HCF supporters my cardiologist now says in all her years she has never seen anyone achieve an improvement such as mine and that I stand out among her patients.

Denise Williams

My name is Denise Williams I am 57 years old; I live in Greater Manchester with my Partner Marcin and my son Alex.

In 2005 Alex suffered brain damage in a car accident, he was 16 years old. In August 2010 I was hospitalized with moderate heart failure which despite the medication had worsened to severe by Xmas 2010. Everyday life became more of a struggle. I had days when I felt too exhausted to get out of bed, unable to climb a flight of stairs without resting and bouts of breathlessness.

I began withdrawing from Alex, struggling to put my affairs in order to lessen the burden when I died; I became depressed which affected my ability to cope; Alex kept telling me he would have nothing left to live for without me and would kill himself to be with me….

…..and then there were Stem Cells and hope. Recent tests results have shown my heart has gone from being severely impaired to moderately impaired; I have not suffered from breathlessness and my energy levels have increased significantly as has my mood.

I feel blessed and privileged to have been given the opportunity to participate in the trials. “Thank you” seems inadequate to express my gratitude to the supporters of HCF for their generosity and continuing support; you have given me hope for the future and a future for my son.

Philip Ford

After 3 Heart Attacks, 6 Stents, I was on my second ICD and an Aortic Graft life was a challenge.

Before the trials I was very limited in the activities I could do, a simple task of walking up the stairs had me breathless. Today, after the treatment, I can take our dog for a walk, unheard of before hand.

I was assessed for a heart transplant, after the treatment, I am no longer on the transplant route. I would like to thank the Heart Cells Foundation for allowing me to have the treatment kindly paid for by its Generous Benefactors, YOU!

THANK YOU, because without you I would not be where I am today!

Donating to Heart Cells Foundation will enable the trials to continue and in the future treat heart patients like myself and with your help I have no doubt in my mind, you WILL be saving lives.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart and dig deep and donate.