HEART FAILURE TREATMENT: STEM CELL THERAPY

The Heart Cells Foundation raises funds for those in the final stages of heart failure to enable them to have life-saving stem cell therapy.

Eminent heart surgeon and HCF trustee Professor Anthony Mather treats patients at the Bart’s Heart Centre within the compassionate cardiac stem cell unit – the first unit of its kind in Europe.

We chat with founder and Chair of Heart Cells Foundation, Jenifer Rosenberg OBE:

 

What inspired you to start the charity?

My late husband, Ian Rosenberg was given months to live.  We heard about this pioneering cardiac stem cell treatment in Germany that was not available in the UK.  We went to Germany where my husband had the treatment. His own stem cells were injected back into his heart which gave him three wonderful years he would otherwise not have had.

We both felt that it was wrong that this treatment was not available in the UK due to lack of funding, hence we started the Heart Cells Foundation to raise the necessary funds.

The procedure regenerates people’s damaged hearts by using a patient’s own stem cells. It saves lives – that’s why it is so important.

 

Where is this treatment currently used? And what are the results?

This treatment is currently available through the Compassionate Unit at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and the results have been excellent. Professor Mather has treated over 400 patients with this very quick turnaround procedure. And patients are reporting substantial improvement in their symptoms and quality of life.

 

What are your hopes for the future?

Our vision for the future is to roll out this treatment to all the NHS Hospitals in the UK as we know heart disease is the biggest killer and this treatment will make a huge difference and give patients a better quality of life.

 

What next for Heart Cells Foundation?

We are planning a Phase III Trial, which will be bigger than the original three Gold Standard Trials, which will then enable us to get medical approval to be able to roll out this treatment across the UK through all the National Health Hospitals.

 

Where can we find out more in UK?

www.heartcellsfoundation.com and our Facebook page.