Release date: January 02, 2022
Martin Redfern
A Smithy Bridge man raised vital healthcare funds to improve his partner’s life after he was saved by major surgery in 2019.
Martin Redfern climbed the equivalent of more than three times the height of Mount Everest in a week and raised hundreds of pounds on partner Samantha Smith’s latest treatments.
Psychotherapist Samantha, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), underwent life-saving neurosurgery in 2019, thanks to the generosity of people around the world with various crowdfunding appeals.
EDS is a genetic disease in which the connective tissue that holds the body together is faulty and weak. Other related complications followed, putting her at risk of internal beheading.
The only solution to prevent this from happening was overseas operations, which cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, as there are no similar options available at the NHS. After several surgeries, the movement of Samantha’s spine was removed by using fusion and hardware to stabilize her vertebrae.
The operations saved her life, but due to the weakness of her connective tissue and muscles, her quality of life deteriorated with countless dislocations every day.
Continue reading: Samantha was savedPublished: May 17, 2019
Samantha Smith: “I feel fixated”Published: February 25, 2019
Second operation goes well for Samantha SmithPublished: August 21, 2017
Samantha Smith is undergoing life-saving surgery Published: July 15, 2017
However, thanks to the EDS community, Samantha became aware of specialized non-surgical treatments – Regenexx Super Concentrated Platelet Rich Plasma and Next-Generation Platelet Lysate – which use components from the patient’s own blood to stimulate and strengthen repair in the damaged area the ligaments or tendons.
A patient’s blood is taken and passed through a machine to separate it. Red and white blood cells are removed, leaving plasma and platelets behind. The platelets are highly concentrated and extracted before being re-injected into the patient at the damaged area.
The company Regenexx says platelet lysate treatment is akin to a sustained-release pill, which makes it better for treating nerves and the spine because it doesn’t cause inflammation.
Samantha Smith, pictured after one of her operations in 2019
Mother of two Samantha has now started specialist treatment at Algocells in London, the only place in the UK offering it, which is already improving her quality of life.
The Algocells Clinic is one of only 50 worldwide offering Regenexx treatments and is managed by Dr. Zbigniew Kirkor and Dr. Martynas Juozaitis, headed by Regenexx founder Dr. Centeno were trained.
Dr. Kirkor was previously a full-time NHS anesthesiologist before joining Regenexx three years ago after discovering it on LinkedIn.
Usually about 50% of patients are treated by Dr. Kirkor is treated for neck and hypermobility disorders while the rest are treated for joint disease, osteoarthritis, disc problems, and lumbar spine problems.
Dr. Kirkor said, “Traditionally, pain is treated by addressing the symptoms, not the cause. These include steroid injections and severing the nerves, but has been limited to certain structures in the body. For example, we couldn’t address ligaments, which can still be very painful. Any innervated structure can be a source of pain.
“With Regennexx we can not only address the pain, but also the cause and treat structures that we were unable to use conventional methods.
“The platelet rich plasma works in two ways, killing and treating inflammation, the source of pain. Any neck instability or hypermobility can be a very good application of the treatment. It can strengthen the ligaments, reduce hypermobility, and reduce dislocation.
“Treatment can address certain background issues that are causing the problem. It’s not a quick cure, but we can help with hypermobility issues – the results so far have been encouraging. Certain conditions that have been treated surgically, such as a tear in the meniscus in the knee joint, can be treated with stem cells.
“It’s not a new drug; it’s your own fabric. It is reminiscent of Hippocrates who said that the natural healing powers are in our own bodies – and he was right. He didn’t have the tech we have now to bring this to life.
“With PRP, we have a wealth of good evidence that it works under certain conditions, but stem cells are still an experimental treatment. Initial studies at Mayo Clinic treated people with severe spinal cord injuries who were bedridden and they started walking again, which is incredible. “
Samantha has cost £ 2,000 each time and has had treatments for her shoulders, sternum, and a bruised occipital nerve – and hopes to get similar treatment for her unoperated skull in Colorado.
She said, “After 48 hours I could already see an effect. I went from doing more than 20 dislocations before I got up to about once a day. I’ve seen a ton of improvement in being able to handle the destabilized parts.
“Many people can benefit from treatment. My first wasn’t as painful as I imagined, but I didn’t feel all that bad in the days that followed, which shocked me. I didn’t know what to expect. The second and third treatments felt rough and I had a flare up, but I knew I hadn’t dislocated.
“I have lived without quality of life for many months and it has become unbearable. When I found out I could try this, I was afraid to be hopeful. It’s almost like a trial test to see if it works and if it has a chance to work further up. “
However, since Samantha’s muscles compensate for her connective tissue and thereby exert additional pressure, she dislocated several times a day. Her skull – which has not been operated on – is sliding off, so Samantha has to see a neurosurgeon again to see what can be done.
Although the first Regenexx treatments have been paid for, Samantha knows there will be additional costs as she has to undergo an examination in Barcelona. The scans themselves are done in Barcelona rather than the UK as they are of higher quality and at the same time cost less.
Once these results are in, the scans will be sent to a specialist in Colorado to treat your spine and cervical junction above. Since her neck is so complex due to the previous operations, she has to see another specialist in the USA.
She added, “The doctor in Colorado trained the doctor I went to London and he will be working with the neurosurgeon I saw in Arizona.
“I’ve known what happened for a long time. I’ve tried everything and I’m not getting any better at this; I can’t risk it going to the point that I have to have an operation again. “
Sam believes she will likely need a mixture of treatments and stem cells injected through her throat to help; the protective clothing she had from her previous operations would make treatment from her spine impossible.
Since the costs depend on the results of the scans, it is not yet known how much money will have to be raised – that’s why Martin, who has been in a relationship with Samantha since 2020, has set himself a mammoth task to get the ball rolling. An initial target of £ 15,000 has been set to cover imaging and consultation fees.
Throughout November, Martin hired a resistance climber and woke up at 4 a.m. for a full week to climb the equivalent height of Mount Everest three and a half times. In total, he climbed over 182,000 steps, raising over £ 800 which was later funded from the game to raise £ 1,603.
He said, “Sam lives in immeasurable pain 24/7 and she has no choice but to log out. She adjusts and tries to hide it to avoid making people feel helpless or uncomfortable about her fight, but she cannot put it aside. We really appreciate everyone’s support. “
Sam added, “There are no guarantees, but it’s been a positive response so far. I didn’t dare get my hopes up, but I was confident that he could help. Because I was reacting so quickly to the treatment, I panicked that I would not keep it, but was told it was good because it worked. “
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