Dr. Robert Johnson is a Board Certified Orthopedic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas.
He is one of the first spine surgeons in Texas to use a patient's own cells in the operating room. He continues to advocate on behalf of the use of adult stem cells in practices and procedures.
You can find a video of him through MedRebels Youtube icon below.
Lizzie Horn is Pro Elite Team Director and Promoter for Pace Bend Road Race and the past Austin Downtown Crits.
She is an active runner, mountain biker, road cyclist that practices the entire outdoor fitness lifestyle year round. She received stem cell injections in her hip after being told she needed a hip surgery.
For more information about Lizzie, you can click the YouTube icon at the bottom of our homepage.
Texas Representative Rick Hardcastle is a rancher and businessman from Vernon, Texas.
He has been a stem cell advocate for years for the Texas House of Representatives.
Currently, he is receiving a stem cell therapy in Houston Texas for Multiple Sclerosis
Camillo Ricordi, M.D. is the Stacy Joy Goodman Professor of Surgery, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami (UM), Florida, where he serves as Director of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and the Cell Transplant Center.
Acknowledged by his peers as one of the world's leading scientists in diabetes cure focused research and cell transplantation, Dr. Ricordi is well-known for inventing the machine that made it possible to isolate large numbers of islet cells (insulin-producing cells) from the human pancreas and for performing the first series of successful clinical islet transplants that reversed diabetes after implantation of donor purified islets into the liver of recipients with diabetes.
Dr. Ricordi has authored over 600 scientific publications, and as an inventor, he has been awarded 11 patents.
Daniel J. Leeman, MD received his medical training at the University of Medicine & Dentistry in New Jersey and his fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York.
He is certified by American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery. He is fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and is National Trainer for SmartLipo and Body-Jet Liposuction.
Dr. Leeman is committed to providing his patients with the highest level of quality care and service and is also an adult stem cell advocate.
Koben Puckett spent the first 7 years of his life on a ranch in SW NM. This beginning has stayed with him, born to be a cowboy. The next 11 years, he lived in Clayton, NM. He was involved in
4-H, Junior Rodeos, High School Rodeos and his church.
After graduating from high school, He worked for a year and then had just started college at Ranger Jr College when he was injured.
Koben, (Canyon, Texas) was seriously injured at a PBR Championship Discovery Tour event on Saturday, September 6, 2008. He sustained a broken neck (a C5-6 fracture-dislocation/Spinal Cord Injury) when he landed on his head.
The 4 months prior to his injury, he was becoming known as one of the Top Young Guns in Professional Bull Riding. Puckett, 19 at the time of injury, had been a member of the PBR for two years. He had competed in 40 events in 2008 and had won over $25,000.00 and had scored 90 points or above four times.
“He (Koben) was doing what he loved. It has been a lifelong dream to compete in the Professional Bull Riders, and he was following that dream when he was injured,” said Dan Puckett, Koben’s father.
After the initial hospital stay and some time to recover, Koben spent 8 months at a spinal cord injury recovery center in Carlsbad CA called PROJECT WALK, in an exercise to move program. He then continued this type of therapy at home for about a year with his parents as his trainers, along with the help of some friends. During that year, while doing extensive research on recovery methods for paralysis, Koben decided to have a surgery that involved performing a laminectomy, cleaning up scar tissue around the injury site and having his own adult stem cells placed directly on the spinal cord above and below the injury site. Similar procedures and trials are being performed in other countries with positive recovery results.
Today he is living in Austin, TX with his parents who trade out every month for his care. He is a client at two different kinds of Therapy/Rehab programs and is working hard at his recovery. He works out at PROJECT WALK-AUSTIN, 2 hrs every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. The training he receives from the Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Specialist includes active nervous system recruitment, load bearing activities, weight lifting, and gait training. This exercise to move program has definitely helped and gives him hope of walking again.
Dr. Melissa Y. Macias, MD, PhD received her PhD in cellular neurobiology and anatomy in 1996 and her MD in 2002 at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is currently a board eligible neurosurgeon at the South Texas Brain and Spine Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Her principle areas of interest include complex spine care and treatment of spinal cord injury. She uses stem cell therapy routinely in her spinal surgeries for augmentation of spinal fusion procedures and continues to pursue innovative approaches for the treatment of spinal degenerative, traumatic, infectious and tumor pathologies. Though specializing in spine, she treats cranial trauma, tumor and infection as well.
Dr. Macias’ research has focused in peripheral and spinal cord injury treatments, for which she has conducted multiple stem cell therapy studies. She continues to engage in the development of stem cell treatment modalities for spinal cord injury and pain emanating from degenerative spine disease. She has authored several peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. Her research interest and activities keep her involved and informed of cutting edge information and technologies for treatment of spine disease.
Dr. Macias is committed to providing state-of-the-art spine technologies and techniques to her patient population.
Janelle McArthur was diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system called Neuromyelitis Optica aka Devic's Disease in 2007. After trying numerous treatments and suffering several exacerbations, she chose to have an adult stem cell treatment in Chicago at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in April 2011. She has had great progress with reversal of the side effects caused by NMO.
She believes she has her health and life back by choosing the option of adult stem cells.
She has four children, a loving husband, and lives in Colorado. Janelle decided to write about her experience while going through the stem cell procedure and her progress. In addition, Janelle likes to inspire others through the difficulties in her life by sharing the lessons she's learned. To read her posts during her stem cell procedure, one year progress, and information on the doctor who performed the stem cell transplant, please visit: http://shesingssweetly.com/
Dr. Christina Marie Sheely, grew up in Buda, Texas. After graduating from Hays High School in 1988, she attended the University of North Texas, and she graduated with bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Biology. Dr. Sheely completed her medical school training at the University Of North Texas Health Science Center in 1999. She began her internship in a dual program with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Ohio University of Osteopathic Medicine in orthopedic surgery in 1999. In her residency, she trained at many top facilities, including, Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, Shriner’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and Steadman Hawkin’s Sports Medicine Clinic. After five years of training, Dr. Sheely joined a fellow resident in practice in Michigan, and practiced there for five years. When Seton Medical Center Hays was being developed, Dr. Sheely decided to move back to her hometown.
Throughout the years of her practice, Dr. Sheely has been interested in regenerative medicine. When first in practice, she used many different types of procedures involving the early developments in regenerative medicine.
Platelet rich plasma was a common form that Dr. Sheely used for various things in her practice, such as tendonitis, tendon growth, bone growth, etc. Carticel is a type of “stem cell” procedure that grew in popularity in 2005, but was very time consuming and tedious for both the patient and the doctor.
Now, Dr. Sheely uses stem cells regularly in her practice for cartilage, bone and soft tissue repair. She is continuing her education on the latest developments and using these in her practice.
In her free time, Dr. Sheely is spending time with her husband and five active children. She loves to workout and spend time outdoors.
Pete Hardy is owner of 911 Self Defense/ DBA Krav Maga WorldWide and chief instructor for Krav Maga south central region.
He received stem cell injections in both knees and continues to be a stem cell advocate!
You can find a video of him through MedRebels Youtube icon.
The world needs the do-ers. The thinkers.
The never-take-no-for-an-answer types.
The ones who rise beyond the challenge.
Those that don't just ask "What if?"
but also 'Why not?' and ‘How soon?’
They’re out to find new ways and chart new courses.
They’re out to change the world.
Calling all rebels.
OUR MISSION:
MedRebels' mission is to enhance life through preventative and regenerative adult stem cell research and education.
OUR GOAL:
Medrebels' goal is to fund research and education initiatives for the use of adult stem cells in regenerative medicine and preventative lifestyle programs.
