Dolphin Therapy from Dolphin Tale's Miracle Dolphins Winter and Panama Help Contribute to Mailia's Miracle and Healing During Her Adult Stem Cell Journey

                    ...Dolphins:  Messages and Meanings: breath work, altruism, playfullness, exploration

Our fifth day, Wednesday morning we set out in our little rental car, oxygen and wheelchair in tow…to take Mailia to see the animals and fish at the Clearwater Florida Marine Aquarium.  She was so very excited to finally get to meet the star of the movie we had long heard about, Winter…of “Dolphin Tale” and to learn more about Winter and her story.

We had just taken Mailia to see this movie the other day…and had time to go onto the Clearwater Aquarium’s web site where we found so much information and a listing of different activities she could participate in.

We made our reservations on-line that morning, got our entry tickets and also, a chance for Mailia to have a Dolphin encounter. So many incredible things happen from children and adults, communicating, touching and connecting with these incredible animals or so we have read, can happen. I figured why not. The movie had such a spiritual and heartfelt impact on Mailia and she has such a passion and love for animals both virtually and in the wild.

Our trip took a little over two hours and we found the Aquarium thanks in part to Google Maps and directions and Max’s wonderful driving and my co-piloting skills or backseat driver as Max fondly refers to me. I will still say…Florida drivers who are not snow birds will definitely getcha if you do not keep up flying down the interstate.

We parked…got our belongings and necessities and Mailia’s wheelchair and headed in for our adventure. No sooner we get in through the gate, a wonderful volunteer approached Mailia to show her a real copy of the prosthetic tail, complete with the entire mechanism and sleeve as soft and subtle as silicone gel. This really complemented the movie…for it was this same device that was finally used and not rejected by Winter…in order to have and maintain her physical therapy.

We then stopped to visit the first exhibit containing two sister nurse sharks named Thelma and Louise, and many other fish and rays in their watery world.  Then it was off to find Winter, where we found her swimming alone without her prosthetic tail in a very large tank that you could see from below…or up above the surface.

Moving through this incredible maze, Mailia also got to see many sea turtles and river otters that were permanent residents of this working hospital and rehab center.

 As we wheeled her around, we came to an outdoor tank that houses one of the newest additions to the center, a young juvenile dolphin by the name of Hope. We captured a couple of photos with her story which was so heart wrenching.

Then it was a male dolphin that attracted our attention, the amazing Nicholas captured in a video we will try to post here later.

After this exhibit, it was Mailia’s turn to have her dolphin encounter…with a female dolphin by the name of “Panama”…a roommate to Winter.  I positioned myself across the tank enclosure so to capture photos of Mailia…all the while holding my breath and praying she would be okay…walking out on a narrow platform, with her oxygen concentrator.  She cleaned her hands with hand sanitizer and away she went…smiling ever so brightly.

Max stayed close to her…and let the trainers know we were there should the need arise.  Nope…these incredible dolphins knew the drill.  This dolphin Panama…was actually deaf…and could not hear.  Only hand signals…but I still wonder if she could sense Mailia’s fragility as she was intent on making a connection with her and the little boy next to Mailia.

Mailia showed such enthusiasm and excitement the entire time…she listened to the trainer’s instructions…asked questions and participated giving hand signals and commands to Panama…and rewarding her with treats of fish.  In trying to describe this dolphins healing presence, for Mailia…this was such an incredible energetic exchange that we witnessed.  Panama’s energy caused Mailia to come away so emotionally lifted and happy.  I have read where dolphins can be biologically drawn to imbalances they sense in the human body and are innately driven to “fix” us.  Are they kindred souls, as some have described, joining in the healing ritual through an altruistic desire “to help”…or are they both?  I think the truth of the matter is…only the dolphin knows.

What I will say…is something very special happened to Mailia that day. She came away from this experience totally changed on a cellular level. We were anxious to see, how her upcoming stem cell transplant would play out after this. Not if, but when we get back to Florida for her next procedure, I think Max and I will do whatever it takes, to get Mailia into another dolphin encounter prior to her next procedure. All she could say was…wow…this is the most incredible thing I have ever felt or experienced. Thank you mom and dad…thank you!...

See the movie…be touched by the story. And don’t be afraid to dream and act on what is possible. And if you are ever in Florida...go visit these incredibly loving dolphins who are cared for by the wonderful and inspiring staff and volunteers at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Love, our gratitude and blessings…

The Goforth’s

Mailia's Second Adult Stem Cell Blood Draw at Regenocyte Clinic a Huge Success!

                Mailia and Dr. Zannos Grekos day of Blood Draw

October 24th…2011 landed us that Monday morning at the Regenocyte clinic in Bonita Springs, a convenient 2 block distance from our temporary residence. We were greeted by everyone and settled ourselves in, to ready Mailia for her blood draw, which would be drawn from a femoral pic through her right side/groin area ( A preference by us..since her arms do not generously give up blood so easily) so why traumatize her with Rosie the Riveter?


Same as last year, the only difference was that Mailia knew the drill now, and was not so nervous or anxious about this. She relaxed…started her breath work and chatted and laughed with everyone.

The Regenocyte staff were a little disappointed that her little service dog, “Steel Dust” did not accompany her this trip…she had to leave him back home this time but brought a substitute, a beautiful little Blue Merle Australian Shepherd with blue eyes…the spitting image of her little Steel Dust who she acquired through the WebKinz web site. Yes…he is a “stuffed” toy.

No matter, he brought Mailia much needed support and comfort and she borrowed SteelDusts “Service Dog Vest” and identification to play the part.

                              Here comes the Poke!

Mailia was later readied into a gown, and hooked up to a heart monitor. I followed her oxygen saturation levels which were in the low to mid 80’s on her standard 5 lpm of oxygen. Her two nurses, prepped the site of her femoral pic, after which Dr. Grekos gently guided the needle into place, and filling the standard 250 cc bag from which Mailia’s adult stem cells, would be derived.

                   Mailia's beautiful blood for her stemmies

The courier arrived to pick up Mailia’s and another patient’s blood which was hand couriered to a special biological laboratory in Israel where her stem cells will be activated and multiplied using naturally occurring growth factors. In this process of activation, Mailia’s new stem cells are customized for the purpose of which she is being treated for…her lung vasculature…i.e. Pulmonary Hypertension. They will regenerate lung vasculature…and help her build new blood vessels throughout her lungs.

                   Regenocyte's timely and wonderful courier

This process will take aprox 8 days from today so we will spend the next few days, getting Mailia relaxed, happy and healthy for the next leg of her journey which involves mobilizing into Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic for her actual adult stem cell transplant with the Dominican Regenocyte team.

                       Dr. Grekos, Mailia & Greg Finley
After Mailia’s blood draw was completed…we got her up and ready to leave the office to head out to get her some lunch and replenish her iron levels. Her uncle Greg Finley joined us as we drove north to have lunch at Ted’s place (Ted Turner) where you can find the best all natural buffalo burgers. Mailia…had a beautiful chicken salad instead.

The following day Tuesday, we were scheduled to bring Mailia back into Regenocyte for an ECHO and further discussion with Dr. Grekos about Mailia’s procedure and where we would go from here. Her right ventricle looked very good and Dr. Grekos was very pleased with her overall heart function.

Our expectations are to see Mailia’s pulmonary pressures come down further and her energy level improve equal to or better than last year. Will this be low enough for surgical repair being afforded her?...that, time will tell and if not, then another course of stem cells, her third…would not be out of the question.

In the interim…we continue to give Mailia a balanced regime of supplementation we have found will complement her stem cell therapy…and she will keep up with her breath work, Pranayama.

Tomorrow…she is delighted and happy to know we will be taking her to see Winter…from Dolphin Tale. If the day is anything like the movie…she will be so very happy and at peace.

Thank you for being a part of Mailia's continued journey towards her miracle.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers for her successful transplant next week.

All our gratitude and blessings!

Andrea, Max and Mailia

Florida Bound for Mailia's Miracle 2nd Adult Stem Cell Transplant



She did it! We stressed for months, both Max and I whether or not Mailia would be capable of flying to Florida this time instead of taking the long road trip like last year in order to keep her closer to sea level because of her lung pressures being so very high.


We trusted our Mailia...knowing how much stronger and more energetic she became from her first round of adult stem cells (see May/June 2010 blog entries) that yes, quite possibly she would be able to tolerate a 5 hour flight with supplemental oxygen and her new found Power of Breath or Pranayam technique.

So after a lot of prayer, consulting between doctors and physical therapists and much discernment we decided to go forth with plans to fly Mailia...this time and oh, are we so glad she did.


Mailia's wonderful grandparents, John and Janet Goforth came to spend the last couple weeks with us helping us all get ready with many honey do's and last minute details prior to our trip. They also graciously gave us a donation to help offset some of Mailia's stem cell procedure costs, to her non profit The Alliance for the Advancement of Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Research, for which we are so grateful.


The night before we left on October 20, our local Tri Cities Dust Devil’s baseball organization held a World Series opener party which became Mailia’s official send off party. It was an exciting time and event for Mailia, one she will cherish and remember always. Our thanks to the Dust Devils management team…for an incredible year.

We landed in Florida on Friday October 21th, so very tired and exhausted from our late night/early morning flight, straight to claim our baggage and find our rental car with such a great relief. We managed to find our way out of the maze of streets surrounding Miami International and Max promptly got us headed west along Alligator Alley…or I-75 west heading for our destination of Bonita Springs. A quick stop to our favorite little restaurant chain in the South and Mid-West, Cracker Barrel restaurant…for a good breakfast and new Webkinz for Mailia, a polar bear she named Knut, after the famous polar bear from Germany.

Upon our arrival in Bonita Springs, we were instructed to visit the Regenocyte office to pick up a key to the condo where we would be staying. You see…our dear friend Nahla Abbo, who is Cal’s mom…who you have heard us reference in previous posts being so very connected to Mailia as they share a similar journey, so graciously offered us her parents condo so we could stay rent free…helping us out immensely!

We were all greeted at Regenocyte…despite our exhaustion and gaminess with open arms, hugs and smiles. They were so very thrilled to see Mailia again, gave us a bottle of oxygen to tie Mailia over as the batteries in Mailia’s oxygen concentrator were all coming to an end. Max and Kelly Drouin from the Alliance, ran and fetched an oxygen concentrator from the Naples Lincare oxygen service provider, and she was all set up with a permanent source for oxygen.


Bear in mind…for those that might read this who will at some point, consider traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator, Mailia had a unit while traveling to and from the airports, and while in flight only between Seattle and Miami…a direct 5 hour flight, a unit called a Respironics concentrator. It delivers up to 6 lpm but only by pulse…not constant flow which is what she is used to.


Mailia had a week to practice with this unit while using it at home. It worked well…along with her breath work, the only problem we had while in flight was when Mailia dozed off, and went to mouth breathing. Then…I would have to wake her, giving her the elbow and drill to breathe through her nose. Her sats dropped a little while in flight…but then again, so did mine and Max’s.


We made sure that Mailia was well hydrated before and during our flight and that she moved her legs and extremities enough so to avert possible complications with any DVT. She knew what to do instinctively and told her dad and I…not to worry, she was good to go!


Back to the condo where we were staying in Bonita Springs…that evening after resting up and unpacking, we went out to grab a bite for dinner. We decided on Outback steakhouse as Mailia had a hankering for a salad and shrimp. Mailia made a friend last year who she met at our stay at the Trianon Hotel here in Bonita Springs for her first stem cell transplant, a beautiful young woman by the name of Dana Foster who also works at Outback. Imagine our surprise, when Dana saw Mailia…and the two, got to greet and meet for a second time…incredible and heartwarming that these two souls would reconnect with each other. We are grateful to Dana for staying in touch with Mailia…this past year, as her friendship has meant so very much to her.

Arriving here Friday, we had the weekend to just relax and give Mailia some much needed rest before her blood draw on Monday. We made a few trips to the grocery store to stock up on food for our meals so not to each out as much thanks to Nahla’s folks condo’s beautiful kitchen. We also procured a juicer so Mailia could continue her daily cabbage juice routine…an important source of Glutamine to help avert lung bleeds…(really works)!

The baseball World Series was also on…and we watched with great anticipation, the head to head matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. Mailia of course, rooting for both teams.

That Saturday…we had to go procure a replacement modem for our laptop as the one we had, which was an external thumb drive, accidently broke. After leaving Bestbuy…we found a movie theater nearby recommended by Kelly called the Spotlight…and decided to take Mailia to see the movie she had been wanting to see called “Dolphin Tale”.

The theater was unlike any we have ever seen or experienced. Internal restaurant and bar…instead of snack bar. Huge plush high back leather soft seats and 3-D viewing. We opted for lemonade and popcorn. The movie…was incredible. I cried and cried…throughout. This movies story hits close to home. A broken dolphin, broken humans…a broken business. Sound familiar?...well, it was.


When we returned back to the condo, Max told Mailia how very proud he was of her and her unbelievable will and courage, especially during our flight and trip. The movie…impacted and moved Max and I deeply. Mailia asked…if we could take her to see Winter, the dolphin from the movie that resides at the Clearwater aquarium near Tampa. We said…of course without batting an eye not knowing how life changing this experience would be for her…and us.

All I can say is that it is a movie and story worth seeing. Mailia did…and is so very happy and grateful. Maybe Wednesday, after Mailia’s blood draw, we will make the journey north to see Winter and the animals at the aquarium. For now, rest and relaxation for Mailia. Did I mention how she has befriended a little moorhen duck she has fondly named “Stanley” out in the back yard pond of the condo? We leave you with this picture she took of him. What a beautiful bird!

Love and blessings…

The Goforth’s

Gratitude...Mailia's 5 Month Follow Up, Right Heart Cath & Second Stem Cell Transplant

               Mailia and Dr. Carl Garabedian - Nov.2, 2010

November 2, 2010 was a day we had so anticipated.  The night before, Max, Mailia and I ventured up to Spokane, Wa. in rediness for Mailia's right heart cath procedure.  We drove over to Post Falls, Idaho to have dinner at a the HotRod cafe and catch the opening game of the World Series.  The 20 or so LCD's in the place had Monday night football on and Mailia asked if they would let us have one TV to ourselves and put on the game for us.  What a wonderful bunch of folks!  They did and Mailia prayed, she rooted hard for her favorite team...the Giants.

After dinner, desert and most of the game...we ventured back to our hotel adjacent to Sacred Heart Childrens Hospital.  We took Mailia in to the room with her companion Steel Dust to catch the remainder of the game while Max and I fetched Mailia's belongings...as she never travels light.

She was so happy and ecstatic to see the San Francisco Giants win the first game of the world series, while her dad and I sat there and sulked for the losing Texas team.  I think it is wonderful though, to consider all that we might accomplish when in tune with our heart, we put others so gracious about the game, or an event that brings so much unification and joy to so many, or even activities that galvanize the world through play and good sportsmanship into the mix of possibility.

And on this eve...Mailia has her own game she intends on winning.  I wonder how she will bring her own giant transformations forth?...but we all know, it is time for a Grand Slam rally so to speak.

At 6:00a.m. the following morning, we found ourselves going through the hospitals admissions and getting all or Mailia's vitals and records in order.  We met with nurses and Dr. Garabedian's cath team prior to their taking Mailia, who at the time...was doing a great job of staying clear, calm and focused.  As they came to take her to the catherization lab for her procedure, we accompanied Mailia, stayed close and held her hand until she was anesthetized enough to warrant our dismissal.

Max and I stayed close by in the family waiting area, praying for our Mailia while every 35 minutes or so, someone would pop their head in to tell us she was doing okay.  Finally, we met up with Dr. Garabedian and had a conversation about what they had found during their procedure.

Basically...they did not notice a huge change from a baseline cath that had been done in June 2006 to present.  He said what he had learned from this cath is that Mailia still has severe Eisenmenger's Syndrome and high pressures in her lung vasculature but one thing they did notice, was that she was very responsive to medications given i.e. oxygen and nitric oxide, which in the past...she was not.

He said he was going to send this cath data to Dr. Black in San Francisco to think where we should go from here because based on these numbers...he was concerned about banding her pulmonary artery for reasons that would increase her right heart pressures and have risks of causing acute right heart failure.  Garabedian thought it best to pursue a more conservative plan like treating her with medications that she might respond to now and take the wait and see approach to see if her pressures come down...and if they do come down then consider further banding or other types of procedures.

So concerned with the data we had in hand...I sent these reports directly on to Dr. Black and Dr. Zannos Grekos at Regenocyte.  A week later, while driving home I received a wonderful call from Dr. Grekos telling me he had reviewed the caths...both 2006 and the most recent one, against Mailia's cath from June 2010 that she had in the Dominican Republic...that Dr. Garabedian did not have in hand at the time, to take into account...and that he could see at least a 20 POINT PRESSURE DROP!  That was from the time her stem cell transplant was done 5 months prior to present cath on Nov. 2.

So yes...that makes perfect sense.  Why all this time, during this summer and fall we have been witnessing Mailia getting stronger and showing more bouts of energy.  I had said in earlier posts that I though Mailia had at least a 30% overall improvement due to the stem cells...but confirming that a 20 point drop has materialized sent us reeling!

Dr. Grekos told us to go celebrate and hopefully we could sit down and plan another round of stem cells for Mailia...as he explained to me that when Mailia underwent her transplant in the Dominican Republic this summer, she was only afforded a "mini stem cell delivery" so to speak.  Dr. Grekos and his 3 other cardiologists would have liked to have seen the ablation or balloon they use through the catheter hold the stem cell solution in a little longer so as to have better vascular adherence...but were fearful Mailia's lungs would not handle it and they would risk losing her.

But to see how she improved...with the mini delivery even, sets up the opportunity to do another round of stem cells that will hopefully guarantee a better outcome yet.

So what does this all mean?...well, looks like we have to jump ahead to Phase 3 before Phase 2 can even be considered.  Another round of adult stem cells...and soon.

Then...just as we are happy celebrating the good news Mailia takes a turn for the worse.  A week after her cath...she had been complaining of the sore throat she had upon leaving the hospital, as her throat was severely irritated with road rash from being intubated. 

I started to give her everything in my arsenal...in hopes of keeping the crud that had hit her father the week prior and kept him home from work for 3 weeks with a bronchial infection, the worse I have ever seen Max debilitated by.  I contacted Mailia's doctor and asked if we should go ahead with antibiotics for Mailia...and he said no, to wait...see...especially since she showed no signs of fever.

The sore throat developed slowly into a cough...and her doctor prescribed her cough medicine, the strongest and safest she could take plus antibiotics.  That did not help, for a week ago Monday she went into a coughing spat and low and behold...she caused a horrendous lung bleed or what is called hymoptysis.

I acted fast...and prayed hard.  Her doctor said to watch her and to bring her in to the ER if it got really bad.  Max ran to town and brought home some fresh organic cabbage which I juiced for Mailia that very day.  Cabbage juice has been used to stop bloody ulcers...and has helped her previously.  I gave her an entire 32 oz bottle of ASEA which are reactive molecules based on redox signaling.  Both these together, had the bleeds under control Tuesday the next day.  I kept up this protocol and worked hard at keeping her from coughing.  Two weeks now...she is feeling better and on the road to mending from another frightful ordeal.

There is one thing I notice that consequently happens every time Mailia goes in for a procedure...she gets very anxious and when she stresses...her immune system goes into the tank.  Something we will work on...prior to the "next" one.

I pray for the day when Mailia will be triumphant over all that we and everyone else...has put her through.

Batter Up Mailia!~  Your day will come sweetie!

Mailia’s 3 Month Follow up in Crescent City, CA., Various Dr.’s Viewpoints and One Happy Tiger Cub

What a month it has been dear ones, since our last post…mostly, what a blessing to see Mailia getting stronger by the day and enjoying her new found energy. We cannot believe she is the same person from just 3 months ago. Prior to her adult stem cell procedure, she was lucky to walk from the living room to the bathroom without getting short of breath, but now…we have witnessed her having the stamina to pick up her heavy E tank of oxygen and walk out the door to our vehicle without passing out!~

We try to encourage her to still pace herself and to refrain from over doing it…for we know how she so wants to be free of the oxygen and constraints the pulmonary hypertension brings, but we also want the stem cells to keep building and helping her lung vasculature to the point where she will be able to tolerate surgical repair to her heart.

Regenocyte has charged us with follow ups for Mailia at 3 month intervals…so in light of her having her baseline ECHO done in San Francisco by her future heart surgeon, Dr. Michael Black…Dr. Black afforded us the opportunity to meet Cardiologist Dr. Robert Popper, who is also from California Pacific Medical Center, up at their satellite clinic at Sutter Creek Hospital in Crescent City, Ca. This saved us having to drive all the way to the S.F. bay area…and Max once again, fired up the Mailia’s Miracle mobile and loaded us up…for a much shorter trip and adventure than the last road trip we just made this summer in taking Mailia to Florida and the Dominican Republic.

We left at the crack of dawn this past Thursday and 10 hours and 543 miles later, we arrived into northern California’s Crescent City…after a beautiful and scenic drive through southern Oregon and some gorgeous stands of old growth Redwoods. We checked into our hotel, had dinner and set Mailia’s Wii up much to her relief…the TV was accommodating for this.

Friday morning we ventured out to find the hospital and got there an hour and a half early not knowing what to expect, other than getting Mailia in for an ECHO. Dr. Popper’s assistant Darlene had been trying to reach us for a couple of days to see if we could in fact, come in earlier because like us…Dr. Popper travels up to the Crescent City hospital every 3 months for 3 days…to see his long standing patients…and drives the 15 hour round trip…every time. Plus…Dr. Popper is no spring chicken…he is 80 years young and still going strong!

We were met by a gracious and spirited technician by the name of Randy who took charge of getting Mailia all set up for her ECHO. It was a pleasure to be able to discuss with him, about Mailia’s recent journey to the Dominican Republic and he was very interested to learn about her treatments and what is forthcoming for her. Unfortunately…he was not able to get very good views of Mailia’s heart in the room where we found ourselves initially…so he asked if we could remobilize Mailia in the hospitals imaging department where they were better equipped.

After 3 hours, we finally finished up with her ECHO and Dr. Popper came in to check all the various views and stats…he asked a few questions about Mailia’s initial diagnosis, how many caths she has had and previous treatments. When I mentioned about the stem cell therapy she recently underwent, similar to Cal’s…he said, I am going to say something but do not want you to take it personally. He asked if I had ever heard of a heart surgeon back in the ’60 who used to close VSD’s with high pulmonary resistance and how he lost every single one of them. I told him no…but that yes, we are aware that closing Mailia’s defect might be contraindicated at this point…that what we are truly looking and hoping for is a means to facilitate her lungs to further heal…not only with the stem cells, but with a mechanical means such as banding her pulmonary artery, or applying a double flap patch on her VSD…or even, a RVAD to help offload her lungs and relieve her heart…giving the stem cells more umpf to help regenerate her lung vasculature…so that later, as her pressures really come down…to safely and permanently close the VSD.

He said after I conveyed this…you are right on!

So…now we wait a few more days for Dr. Popper, in all his wisdom and experience to review Mailia’s ECHO results at 3 months against her baseline ECHO so he, along with Dr. Black can decide a path forward for Mailia. We trust both Dr. Black and Dr. Popper to find a workable solution and path forward and look forward to really doing some serious discussions here shortly.

This brings me to a related case in point. Wow…another incredible sign divinely sent…that we are on the right track.

Last week, I received an email from Brazilian Heart Surgeon Dr. Randas Batista with new photos of his hospitals construction, still in progress with interior fitout. He also told us that a young girl with Eisenmenger’s from Syria, who he had banded last year, was doing great now, confirmed by the attending heart surgeon, Dr. Ahmad Rajaii-Khorasani from Mashhad Iran with the following:

Hi Dear Randas:


The girl who had PA banding is now doing great & she is getting married soon. I have two other patients for this year .One VSD and the other one PDA.


I have asked the nurse who took care of your patient in the ICU to get her case ready to be presented and the patient will also be invited to come to the conference and answer any questions. Love you man. Looking forward to see you here. Thanks Ahmad

I am hoping to make contact this week, with Ahmad and ask if he would also send us and Dr. Black their published work and findings pertaining to this young woman. Now granted…she did not have stem cell therapy, but as I have believed and said all along, the lungs and body can heal…given the right elements. I pray they will continue to find ways to help improve their patients lives and outcomes…to that extent, I pray for all our world healers and physicians that they too, continue to find ways to help afford positive healing.

Mailia chanted her wishes repeatedly to see a wildlife safari in route to our next evening stop before our long leg home. We were going to spend the night in Bandon…by the sea and so tried to make our way north on hwy 101 along the coast. We got to the Wildlife center about 35 minutes before closing and Mailia was so thrilled to see adult leopards, lions, tigers and their beautiful babies. Mailia even had the opportunity to pet some little black leopard babies and also bottle feed a gorgeous baby Bengal tiger cub. We were so grateful to the staff there…for allowing Mailia this amazing experience…one she will never forget.

We ventured into Bandon and found our hotel near the beach…a gorgeous place with a beautiful setting and view. The next day…we got up early…loaded up after a quick breakfast and high tailed it home, in time to meet our wonderful and incredible friend and family member…Ramona, who without her help caring for our home and critters…we would be hurting in a big way. She hugged and kissed Mailia and ran out to her car to head home and then to the hospital…as her second daughter was going into labor with her first grandson. We are so blessed with Ramona…and grateful for all her love, support and help.

After a quick accounting of all our fur kids…we headed to Dust Devil Stadium for Mailia’s baseball fix for the evening.  She is pictured here, one last time with two wonderful men and brother's who met Mailia last season, Dale Moe from Delaware and Duane Moe from Kennewick, Wa. and who are part of her miracle. Only one more week of baseball left now…as fall is quickly approaching and Mailia is feeling the anxiety of summer’s end once again. I think…we all have a greater appreciation of our daily lives and the events that are beautifully unfolding before us.

It is time to get busy again…staying focused and requesting much needed and appreciated help to continue fundraising for Mailia’s next big step and procedure and to continue however we can…to help others to do the same.  We will keep everyone posted, as soon as we hear from Dr.'s Black and Popper on Mailia's next path forward.

We thank everyone for their continued support and prayers...we are so very grateful and humbled.

Love and blessings...
The Goforth's

One More "Impossible" Disease Reversed By Repair Stem Cells---NOT Embryonic Stem Cells

Last Sunday we were contacted by our local NBC affiliate, KNDU reporter Hilary Whittier who asked how Mailia was doing and if she could come out to do a follow up story about Mailia’s Stem Cell procedure. We were thrilled to see Hilary and it was truly wonderful and humbling to be able to tell another soul…all about Mailia’s incredible journey.

It has been six weeks since her lungs accepted all her own adult stem cells and we are thrilled and truly blessed to see Mailia thriving and healing…every single day.

We owe so much gratitude to everyone for their help and prayers and hope that it is evident in the miracle they have chosen to support.

Today we were also blessed with seeing a wonderful post on Don Margolis’s web site which I have copied below and I also encourage folks to visit his web site from time to time to learn all they can about Adult Stem Cell Therapy and people’s stories…and speaking of which, I encourage EVERYONE who is part of “the family” or “club” who has received and benefited from Adult Stem Cells to send Don Margolis an email or letter telling him of their journey so as to help inspire others.

Here is the post from DonMargolis.com:

If you ask your pulmonologist if stem cells can help your lung disease (COPD, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, etc. etc.) he/she will tell you “No---stem cells are snake oil.” That is what we hear from almost every lung patient who comes to us trying to get out of the medical prison imposed by all lung conditions. We know that stem cells have helped dozens treated in Latin America and Europe, but a disease almost no one has heard of?
Ten years ago, one teen in the state of Washington was told she only had months to live, but today, 16-year-old Mailia Goforth has defied the odds and continues to surprise doctors.

At the age of 3, Mailia was diagnosed with Eisenmenger's Syndrome. It's a heart defect that causes high blood pressure in her lungs and doesn't allow her to breathe on her own.

But recently, Mailia and her family took a trip across the country for a special procedure using stem cells. The hope, to fix her lungs and be one step closer to closing up a hole in her heart.

After more than a month of recovery, Mailia says the $50,000 operation worked, and she's getting stronger everyday.


She can now take out her breathing tube and even find enough energy to play outside. She tells me, after a few more operations she could be able to run, jump and do everything most 16-year-olds can do.

"It feels amazing," she said. "I know I'll be able to do everything I've always wanted to do without having to get sick anymore... just to be free at last."

Free at last from the worry and stress of her disease is what the family is wishing for. To get there, she still needs her lungs to get stronger from the stem cell surgery. Once the lung pressure goes down she will be able to have heart surgery.

The video is HERE.

To follow Mailia's progress or donate to her cause go to http://mailiasmiracle.com/

Thank you Don. Thank you Dr. Grekos and Regenocyte. Thank you God and everyone for your help and prayers once again…all our gratitude!

Max, Andrea and Mailia

Mailia's New Stem Cells, New Cardiologist, New Friend and New Mountain

Dr. Carl Garabedian and Mailia

Follow up is an important part of Mailia’s stem cell therapy and the staff at Regenocyte came through loud and clear on this. It is requested that she be seen for follow up and testing after one month…and subsequently every three months there after.  It is part of the plan laid out for all Regenocyte patients who are now part of a unique club and family.  We are truly grateful for the followup aspect to this therapy...for how else can it be let known, how a patient does and how they ultimately will benefit from their stem cell therapy without historical data to support it?

Sounds good to me...for I know each patient is playing an important role in their individual cases where it concerns their documented progress.  It is part of the protocol...a necessary tool so to speak....but I say look, the proof is in the pudding.  Click on the Regenocyte link and look into the faces of actual people who have been there....and been blessed! 

So with prescription in hand, we set out to find a new Cardiologist closer to home and one that could follow her locally. Mailia’s pediatrician…Dr. Nazar, recommended we touch base with Dr. Carl Garabedian from the NCCHD in Spokane Washington saying that although Mailia has benefited from going all the way to Portland, Oregon to be seen by Dr. Douglas King, her pediatric cardiologist for the past 10 years…that it was time she be followed by an adult cardiologist.

Adult and Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Carl Garabedian comes down to the Tri-Cities a couple of times a month to a satellite clinic…and it was here that we had the opportunity to meet him personally for Mailia’s one month appointment.

He was very interested in meeting Mailia to learn about her procedure…for he told us he had several of his patients wanting “other options” and how open he was…to alternative medical breakthroughs…adult stem cells, being one of them.

We spent a good THREE HOURS with Dr. Garabedian, educating him…going over Mailia’s history, all her medical records and especially her recent trip to Florida and the Dominican Republic. He listened to us, to her heart…spoke kindly to her…he did an ECHO and confirmed that her heart function looked good but no changes…yet, at one month post x-plant.

We mentioned that her three month appointment might be done in San Francisco with heart surgeon Dr. Michael Black to assess her for heart surgery and that we would keep him abreast of her progress.

We thank Dr. Garabedian so very much for kindly affording us this important after care Mailia will require and also, thanked him from a deeper and a higher place that brought us all together to hopefully…make a huge difference in helping others.

Which brings me to a case in point…or something I need to interject or reference now. When I raced home that day from work to pick Mailia up to take her to meet Dr. Garabedian, I stopped at our mail box and found a card that was addressed to her. I handed the card to Mailia as we raced towards town…and she said, Mom! You won’t believe this…you got to see this it is a letter and a donation! I quickly pulled over…and read the following to my utter surprise and astonishment:

Dear Mailia,


My family and I truly hope you are doing well and have you in our prayers. Finding you and hearing about your treatment has given us hope.


My dad has pulmonary fibrosis and his only option was a lung transplant. Because of you we have a new and better option.


Anyway, we are very grateful to you for sharing your story and look forward to seeing your new blogs. I feel in my heart that your treatment will be successful. I hope sometime we have the opportunity to meet you.


We wish you all the best and many blessings.


Shannon, Mario & Martalicia Toranzo

Wow! From their heart…to her heart…to my heart and now to yours. I believe it is God’s plan that we all remain in faith and gratitude. Thank you for allowing me to share this Shannon…and thank you for your generous gift to Mailia’s Miracle, we are truly grateful.

Mailia continues to thrive every day. She gets outside for her daily dose of sunshine, oxygen still in tow as her oxygen saturation levels are still hovering around a lower mid range but one thing she and we do notice, are little bouts of energy here and there. A little more energy. Okay…we will take that as a sign the stem cells are busy doing their job. Building blood vessels in her lungs.

We will continue to monitor her progress and try additional therapies we feel she will benefit from that we will list on her therapies page. Her diet consists of healthy food with lots of organic vegetables and fruit, staying hydrated throughout the day and detoxifying and chelating all of the chemicals like contrast dye she was exposed to during her cath and the CT exams and hospital stay.

I leave you all…with a photo of Mailia and friends Stu Saslow and Allen Minton on top of the summit of Mt. Baker in western Washington this past week. The little “Peak Bagger” has two mountains under her belt now…the stem cells are doing their magic…creating her miracle! Thank you Allen and Stu!! We love you!...and thank you friends and family, for stopping by, and keeping Mailia in your thoughts and prayers!

Love and blessings…

Mailia Hits a Roadblock…We Detour to Memphis, Tn.

Upon our return to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic, we were so very anxious to see how Mailia would fair the plane trip three days post stem cells. She seemed to do alright, despite desaturating some and being a little tired.

After checking Mailia upon arrival to our hotel in Miami…we spoke with Dr. Grekos and his team back in Bonita Springs and they told us if Mailia was doing okay…they would give us their blessings to go ahead and head home. We spent the morning on Sunday June 6th catching up on laundry and repacking the Excursion for our long adventure back home.

Mailia’s cath site around her right groin was still very sensitive and painful so she kept walking to a bare minimum and used her wheelchair extensively. As we headed north passing through Orlando, not even the signs of Disney World and Sea World peaked her interest…as she was still wrought with soreness from the procedure and just home sick and glad to be back and heading in a westerly direction.

Max and I too were so relieved that Mailia had come through the procedure in the Dominican Republic and weathered the trip there and back, for that part was not an easy feat for Mailia. One, being on oxygen and a high flow at that, required us to navigate the system to make sure that American Airlines, who flew us there and back…and I might add, did a superb job at handling Mailia’s needs for oxygen support and shuttling to and from the check-in points to the gates. We took her wheelchair with us to the D.R. and Regenocytes DR representative Yanely, saw to the supplemental oxygen she would need while there in the form of portable E-tanks and oxygen concentrator.

If we had it to do over, I strongly believe transporting by air ambulance is the way to go for anyone with high pulmonary pressures. It is sad our medical insurance would not cover this for Mailia and we did not have an extra 20k to fund this but believe now, she would have done so much better all around.

But as we headed north…our final destination being Pasco, Wa. we would get as far north as Valdosta, GA for the night. The next day we ventured through some beautiful country through Alabama working our way towards Tupelo MS for our second night stay. It was during this late afternoon that we noticed Mailia was just not herself…and her oxygen saturations seemed lower than norma.

The next morning she was very lethargic and not looking well at all…so I got in touch with Dr. Grekos office and told them my concerns. Mailia’s nurse Micheline asked what the closet city was to us…and I told her Memphis, TN. She contacted the ER doctor on site at the LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and told us to head straight there…and she would fax all of Mailia’s medical records to them and let them know her status so they could check her out.

We arrived at the hospital and the ER staff took charge of assessing Mailia. We met with a Dr. Ciega who took all of Mailia’s medical history and also with their staff cardiologist Dr. Rush Waller. While on the phone with Dr. Grekos back in Florida, I handed the phone over to Dr. Waller to converse with him relating to Mailia’s stem cell procedure. With Mailia’s saturation levels being so low and her hemocrat levels a little low also, Dr. Waller wanted to rule out any embolisms that might have occurred in her lungs or cath site. He ordered a Cat Scan, ultrasound and ECHO which all came up normal thank God!

Dr. Grekos had told us that it was his feeling that Mailia’s saturations were dropping due to the fact that he has seen several of his patients who underwent the stem cell procedure go through a period experiencing cold like symptoms with coughing and that the stem cells are making new vessels but are not connected yet. So he told us there was going to be some shunting of blood through her heart which would reduce oxygen.

Dr. Grekos was right on…but we had no way of knowing for sure and it was better to be safe than sorry. We are so very grateful to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and the staff there who cared for Mailia during her stay. It is a teaching hospital just down the road from St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital also…and we were very impressed with their old facility…soon to be replaced by their brand new Children’s Hospital which they will be moving into in September.

We are also so grateful to Dr. Grekos and his staff for their responsiveness and availiability 24/7 where it concerned Mailia's well being and making themselves available to help us navigate through this.

Mailia was discharged the next day in the early afternoon and we headed west…just a few short hours into Little Rock Arkansas for the night. Max and I had been craving some southern barbeque so we opted for that. Mailia had a chicken caesar salad and Max and I paid dearly the next 24 hours for our indulging in pork and beef barbeque at a local favorite. It did not agree with us at all and were glad that Mailia is not much of a meat eater…preferring salads. Smart girl!~

We left the following morning heading north through the beautiful Ozark country of northern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri to finally land in Springfield for Mailia has been dreaming of the day she could meet up with her brother Cory Riordan, since she reminds us constantly how it has been 3 years since she has seen him.

We spent a day in Springfield and got to see Cory pitch against the Springfield Cardinals at Hammon’s Field, a baseball minor league AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Many of you know what a huge baseball fan Mailia is…and seeing her brother Cory meant the world to her and to us…for we knew this opportunity would be “big medicine” for her.

Cory is a wonderful pitcher for the Tulsa Drillers, affiliate to the Colorado Rockies and it is our hope and that of Mailia’s…that her brother will make it to pitch for the Rockies soon. Cory and Mailia spent some wonderful quality time together…catching up and bickering and teasing each other most of the time. Her laughter was/is healing and so contagious.

Thanks to Cory, we were graciously treated to a wonderful game and several stadium employees and local fans came around to meet Mailia and Steel Dust and showered her with attention and gifts that we are so very grateful for. After her release from the hospital, Mailia was so congested from allergies and with a sinus infection going, I called her pediatrician Dr. Nazar back in the Tri-Cities and he ordered her some antibiotics to help knock it out. I hit her with everything else I had in my eastern medical arsenal and she started to feel better…much to our relief.

After hitting a local Lincare for more oxygen and saying a tearful goodbye to Cory…we returned once again into the Mailia’s Miracle mobile and headed north to Sioux Falls, S.D. after deciding not to go directly west, for California and then north the same way we came. It was our intention to head back to San Francisco on the way home to see Mailia’s heart surgeon, Dr. Michael Black, but after conversing with him…he too thought it best that we head straight home with Mailia because he suspected there would be no significant positive changes in Mailia’s pressures for a few more weeks and that an ECHO in 3 months would be much more informative.

The Midwest was so green from rain…which we hit once we arrived in South Dakota and it followed us all throughout the state until we reached Deadwood, SD for the night. We stayed at a brand new non smoking hotel and set Mailia up with her wii and games after a nice dinner. The weather was cold and wet for June…in the low 50’s and quite a shock after coming from the hot temperatures in the south. Mailia had hoped to see Mt. Rushmore but no luck, the clouds were socked in so we continued our journey and long drive making it into Missoula, MT for the night. Along with the inclement weather came the disconcerting fact that we had no cellular service or data service between AT&T and Sprint for almost 4 days so we could not call or send updates midway and along our trip home.

The next day, Tuesday June 15th…an incredible 32 days after leaving Pasco for Florida and the Dominican Republic…we finally arrived home, safe and in tack thanks to God….and everyone and everything that helped afford our initial journey in making Mailia’s Miracle a reality.

We met so many wonderful people along the way, reconnected with family and friends and made new ones. Mailia I believe…left an impression with them all and in doing so, opened so many hearts including our own…to make a difference in the world, one day and one person at a time.

Traveling across country gave us the opportunity to see first hand, the status of our great nation and the people struggling to stay afloat and start anew. It gave us such a sense of appreciation and gratitude for not only what we have, but what we are a part of. Venturing beyond our U.S. borders, to the Dominican Republic and the beautiful people there also gave us so much to be thankful for. Everyone's contribution...in Mailia's Miracle is HUGE...and will never be forgoten. This was truly humbling. We will forever carry gratitude in our hearts for everyones participation in returning the gift of life to our daughter Mailia.  Especially to you Dr. Zannos Grekos and your incredible team...thank you!

A Miracle For Mailia - Tri City Herald Article by Michelle Dupler June 7, 2010

Mailia Goforth, center, prepares to undergo an experimental stem cell procedure in the Dominican Republic. Doctors hope stem cells from her own blood will help heal high blood pressure in her lungs so she can have a life-saving heart surgery. Nurses Amie Ryan, left, and Emily Storrer, right, from RADY Children’s Hospital in San Diego, observed the procedure while volunteering in the area.
Pasco teen begins experimental stem cell treatment

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer

PASCO — Once upon a time, Mailia Goforth was a young girl dreaming of a miracle that would break the curse cast over her as a child.


She waited 12 years for someone to fix her heart, which while full of love has a defect that makes her weak and steals the breath from her lungs.

Last year, a wizard entered the tale holding in his hands an almost magical treatment using her own blood, but it appeared it might take more time than Mailia had for her parents to find the money to pay.

Max and Andrea Goforth wished for a miracle for their daughter, but Mailia grew weaker and her parents grew more afraid, even though they never gave up hope.

But across the land, a fairy godmother heard of Mailia's curse and waved a wand to grant her dearest wish -- a chance at life free from the curse that has bound her.

Mailia Goforth on Wednesday became one of a handful of people in the U.S. to get an experimental stem cell treatment that could end up not only saving her life, but allow her to live the normal one she's never been able to experience.

Mailia, 16, has Eisenmenger syndrome, a condition that affects the blood flow to the heart that in her case is caused by a hole in her heart's wall.

She also suffers from secondary pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in her lungs. Her blood pressure is high because the hole in her heart allows too much blood to flow from her heart to her lungs, causing her blood vessels to constrict and stiffen and strain her heart. The pressure also stops surgeons from closing the hole.

That in turn means not enough blood flows into her lungs and she becomes fatigued and short of breath.

She can't walk more than a few steps without tiring, and for seven months of the year -- when temperatures are cool -- she can't venture outdoors because of the strain on her lungs and her susceptibility to viruses.

A double-lung and heart transplant -- the customary treatment for Mailia's condition -- is not an option, as doctors have told the family Mailia would not survive.

Andrea Goforth believed she found an answer to Mailia's problem when she learned about Dr. Zannos Grekos -- Mailia's wizard.

Grekos developed an experimental technique to repair pulmonary hypertension using adult stem cells. In fact, it's so experimental it can't legally be done in the United States because it isn't approved by the Food and Drug Administration, so Grekos flies with patients to the Dominican Republic to perform the procedure.

Because it is experimental, the $64,000 cost of treatment is not covered by the family's insurance.

Blood is drawn from the patient and flown to a lab in Israel where stem cells are extracted and activated with a protein known as a growth factor to cause them to multiply.

Growth factors are produced normally in every person's blood and tell other cells to become brain tissue, heart tissue or liver tissue, Grekos told the Herald in August.

"We use ones that are specific in this instance for blood vessels," he said.

Every person also has stem cells running around in their body like miniature repairmen, and when they can be extracted, multiplied and told what to do, they can repair damaged blood vessels and even make new ones.

The stem cells are flown from Israel to the Dominican Republic, where Mailia would be waiting to have them inserted into her lungs through a small tube. The stem cells would attach to her pulmonary blood vessels and help them regenerate.

For Mailia, that would reduce her blood pressure, making it easier for her to breathe and allow surgeons to give her a pulmonary artery band, which would reduce the blood flow through the hole in her heart.

Once Max and Andrea Goforth knew they wanted Grekos to treat Mailia, they started raising money as fast as they could. They figured they'd need the $64,000 for the stem cell treatment, plus $10,000 for travel and expenses.

They also expect to need the money for a second stem cell treatment in about a year. They hope the surgery to correct Mailia's heart defect will be covered by insurance.

By the end of April, the family had raised $47,000 -- significant progress, but not enough to start Mailia's journey to the Dominican Republic.

Andrea Goforth said she's stayed in constant contact with Dr. Grekos and e-mailed him an update after their last fundraiser in April to tell him how much they'd been able to raise.

In response, she got a surprise she's describing as Mailia's miracle come to life.

Dr. Grekos' staff at his company Regenocyte wrote back to tell Mailia's parents he was willing to take $42,000 of the money they'd raised to perform Mailia's stem cell procedure, and that a nonprofit called the Alliance for Adult Stem Cell Research and Therapy -- Mailia's fairy godmother -- was going to pay the rest.

After they got the news, Max and Andrea Goforth each scheduled a month off from their jobs, got the family's SUV in shape for the more than 4,000-mile, nine-day drive, and set off on a cross-country adventure.

They arrived in Florida about a week ago, where Mailia underwent preliminary tests and her blood was drawn and whisked away to Israel to make stem cells.

She flew to the Dominican Republic a week ago, and on Wednesday had nearly 58 million stem cells pumped into the arteries in her lungs through a catheter.

Within days, she'll be on her way back home.

"This is an adventure," Andrea Goforth said by telephone from Florida. "This is a first for us, as it is for many. I hope Mailia will be able to come back and tell a very positive story about her journey for others."

Grekos has said if the stem cell therapy is successful, Mailia's pulmonary hypertension could be reduced enough that she could have a relatively normal life without an oxygen tank and perhaps even be able to play sports.

Mailia has dreams both simple and lofty -- she'd like to go to the mall like other teenagers and be able to swim like her idol, Michael Phelps. She also envisions one day running her own animal sanctuary in Costa Rica where she'd preserve endangered species.

Right now, Andrea Goforth is focusing her prayers on a successful stem cell procedure that will allow Mailia's heart repair within a matter of months.

But she's also worried about how the family will pay for additional procedures with just $33 left in the Mailia's Miracle fundraising account after the costs of the procedure and trip.

The family plans additional fundraisers when they return home, and has set up a website called mailiasmiracle.com that tells Mailia's story and gives information on how people can donate.

57,800,000 Adult STEM CELLS - for Mailia's Miracle

We are exhausted but exhilarated and relieved.  Our prayers, your prayers I believe have been answered!  We arrived in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic after leaving Bonita Springs Florida on my birthday, Sunday May 30th to stay in Miami in order to fly Mailia to the DR.
We were very nervous how she would do flying...but to our relief, 20 minutes after we pre boarded our flight, to our utter astonishment and amazement, we met both Dr. Zannos Grekos and Greg Finely from Regenocyte as they walked down the aisle to their seats.  Mailia... bounced up and down in her chair in total relief...knowing that Dr. Grekos was right with her!  The anxiety and extra stress she had about flying all but disappeared.  They said they wanted to surprise Mailia...and surprise her they did!

Our flight required Mailia to be on oxygen...a lot of oxygen and she went through two large tanks in the two hour flight.  We had expected our Regenocyte liaison, a beautiful woman by the name of Yanely Acosta to meet us at the gate with additional oxygen...but to our dismay, she was not allowed into the boarding area and it was too late to go back to the plane for the other full tank of oxygen.  Dr. Grekos grabbed Mailia's O2 tank as I wheeled her down the corridors through customs when we she said..."Mom, I am out of oxygen now".  Zannos and I took off like a shot to get her to where Yanely was waiting for us...totally in a panic that we rushed her through customs or I should say...the Department of Agriculture's officials who were demanding documentation on Mailia's little service dog "SteelDust".  I told them in my most eloquent Spanish that we could not stop for this, Mailia needed oxygen and I would pay the consequences later.

We got Mailia to the front of the Airport, got her hooked up to her oxygen and made sure she was okay and while she stayed with Dr. Grekos and Yanely, Max and Greg went to fetch our luggage and Olando (translator and porter) and I went to make amends and pay restitution to the animal federales.  The head of the department of Agriculture was a sweet woman named Margarita who not only was understanding with our plight but also instrumental for offering up some extra prayer support for Mailia's procedure.  I know...playing the Mailia card had it's merits.

We then loaded ourselves into Yanaly's SUV and she proceeded to take us to our hotel.  Thank goodness Max was riding up front with Yanaly...as Mailia and I did not need to see the unbelievable way people drive and get around, here in the Dominican Republic.  We were amazed at how folks could drive as recklessly as they do and not wind up in a serious or even minor car accident.  Yanaly, was no exception.  She told us there are 6 different horn beeps that each have their own meaning.  She mostly used the toot toot...I am coming, or toot...thank you....or beeeeeeep, get out of the way!

Our journey to the hotel was nothing short of miraculous as well.  We were personally greeted by the hotel manager Mario Mendez and assistant manager Lenin Casanova and most of their staff, who had been expecting Mailia's arrival.  It is the off season now...and we were graciously received and accomodated into a nice room and upgraded for free to an executive suite facing the ocean.  Mailia, Max and I had a nice dinner at the hotel and a restful evening.

The next day Wednesday, was a day which brought a huge surprise as a friend of Mailia's came with her traveling companion all the way from Pennsylvania to be with her for her stem cell procedure.  Janette and Jaunita arrived at our hotel while Mailia and I were having breakfast and Max was taking Steel for his morning relief.  The potty reflief jaunt involved Max running, no sprinting across a four lane (very busy) street in front of our hotel to the beach area...without getting hit.  Pedestrian crosswalks...they crack me up here because they are never used...or can't be used safely.

Shortly thereafter, we met Yanely at our hotel and were so happy that she had picked up our dear friend Nahla Abbo, Cal's mom.

Nahla had flown in the night before and was staying at the same hotel as Janette and Jaunita at the Intercontinental.  We all piled into Yanely's vehicle...including Mailia's oxygen and wheelchair and we headed for a nice ride through the colonial part of town where we stopped to see the oldest Catholic church on this continent. 

We got Mailia into her wheel chair and proceeded to the church where a man by the name of "Angel" approached us and offered to give us the grand tour.  He was a nice man, very humble and humourous.  He spoke to Mailia and asked why she was sick.  We told him she had come for a very special procedure for stem cells for her lungs and heart.  He right away...told us that he had also experienced talking to and praying for a woman two years ago...who came to the Dominican Republic for stem cell therapy.  That...was Barbara McKean who he said could barely walk and was so sick with COPD and pulmonary hypertension.  He prayed for her...and now, he said...she writes to him from time to time to let him know how well she progressed after stem cell therapy.

Angel offered to pray for Mailia.  Max and I took Mailia into a small chapel within the church...and we prayed.  We see Mailia getting well, happier than ever...her miracle before her.  We all left there...pretty exhilarated and optimistic everything was in God's hands now.  No turning back.

That evening, we all got together for a special dinner to celebrate the eve of Mailia's stem cell procedure and to see her relinguish the anxiety and worry she has been carrying now for so long. Nahla brought a beautiful letter from Cal for Mailia, and also a beautiful pendant from her gorgeous and sweet daughter Justine.  Cal's letter helped Mailia and we want him to know it really made a difference for Mailia...knowing that Cal has helped her by pioneering the way for she and others.  Cal still has to climb that mountain to get to his final destination...and he will do so with great courage and love from an incredible support system.

The next morning, June 3rd will be a day that Max and I will never forget.  It was to become the clincher for Mailia's Miracle.  Mailia was not to have any food after 9:30 a.m. so we went up to the 20th floor of our hotel for a quick breakfast before being picked up by Yanely to take us to the hospital Centro Cardiovascular Dominicano.  When we got there...Mailia's service dog SteelDust became the target of descrimination...as animals, no matter the connection or service, they are not allowed on any premise in this country.  We spoke with the doctors and he was allowed minimal access...so he was temporarily stripped of his duties and found loving and caring arms in those of Mailia's dear friend and animal vet tech, Janette and her friend Jaunita who stayed and took care of him while we admited Mailia for her procedure.

Mailia was taken to a room where she and another couple from Florida were waiting to go first, for their stem cells.  The reports came in...Zannos told the other patient that he had over 62 Million stem cells and that Mailia would get an astounding 57.8 Million!  As we got Mailia settled in and changed into a lovely gown, an x-ray technician came in to get a chest x-ray for the doctors.  Later...one by one...the cardiologists started to arrive and come in.

We met with Regenocyte's Dr. Lionel Fco. Liriano or (Chiqui) as he is fondly called, the one who would orchestrate all the work in the control room.  Then Dr. Roberto Fernandez de Castro and lead Dr. Hector Rosario Figueroa came in to meet us and Mailia.  They had just drove in from another main city from the north, Santiago and were going to get ready to study their patients records and consult with Dr. Zannos Grekos.

Mailia was also visited by two traveling pediatric nurses from San Diego, Ca. Amy and Emily who were on R&R in Santo Domingo after having traveled from Haiti for a 2 week relief effort.  They had met Dr. Grekos and Greg at the hotel and were given the opportunity to come bear witness to his procedure he has spent years developing and perfecting and asked if we were okay if they could observe.  We were very happy to have them...as I quickly put them to work helping me get Mailia prepped and hooked up to all their monitors.

Then Max and I quickly went into change into our scrubs for Max was allowed to be in the control room with Dr. Chiqui, Amy, Emily and Greg Finley as well, who was video taping and documenting Mailia's procedure and Max, too...taking pictures that you are now previewing.

I was afforded the best seat in the house.  At my babies head...right at her side to hold her hand and relax her to the point where she did not require any anesthesia.  Dr. Grekos felt it was better to forgo the anesthesia for he feared it would raise her heart rate and cause her more left to right shunting thereby increasing the pressures in her lungs.  No, only a local anesthetic was to be used where they would be inserting the cath into her groin and femoral artery.

Mailia was explained the procedure by Zannos and Vicente...her anesthesiologist whoes cell phone drove me nuts at times.  The pictures shown here are of Dr. Fernandez and Dr. Rosario who were the ones running the whole show with Grekos all around the lab making sure everything was coreaographed perfectly despite the pandemonium going on.

Mailia's blood draw produced over 57.8 million adult stem cells which had arrived only hours before.  Paperwork was verified, control and batch numbers matched to her wrist band...all in order. I watched Mailia's heart vitals constantly...while stroking her forehead, wanding and calming her, putting her into a total state of relaxation.  There were three separate times where she went into a deep meditative state that made me nervous and later relieved to see this was her way, of allowing the invasiveness not to overpower her.  She remained connected and strong...amazingly strong!

The procedure took a cool two hours and they managed to get all the stem cells, which were in 3 separate syringes into all 6 of her main lung artery branches in both lungs, and before removing the cath Dr. Grekos had Dr. Rosario place the last cc of stem cells in her pulmonary artery...just for good measure.  We were so impressed with this teams profesionalism, their internal Q.A. and expertese while working to help our Mailia.

She was done!

After a restful night recouperating in the hospital and being monitored, we were escorted back to our hotel this morning by Yanely.  The staff at the hospital was courteous, helpful and very gracious to us and we thank them and everyone here in Santo Domingo for their hospitality and willingness to help and care for Mailia.

It has been a truly humbling experience for all of us...as it should be.