Veterans cloaked with comfort and gratitude by Quilts of Valor
2 February 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Coming Together for a Cure started as a benefit concert bringing awareness to adult stem cell therapy.
Co-founders Ryan and Blake Benton are brothers. Ryan is the first person in the world with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD, to be successfully treated with mesenchymal stem cells.
Their nonprofit is dedicated to bringing awareness about the treatment and connecting people to resources.
“We just continue to persevere; we just, there are so many times in this journey one step forward, two steps back,” said Ryan.
Ryan’s last act could have been 15 years ago.
“Most of my friends growing up with MD passed away at 22, so I started doing stem cell right at the age that was crucial for me,” said Ryan.
He just turned 37; he credits stem cell therapy for exceeding his doctor’s expectations.
“They’re little fixer cells, they go in, and they look for areas in your body that need fixed,” said Ryan.
Not all stem cell therapy is legal in the U.S. Ryan hopes mesenchymal stem cell therapy will one day become a standard practice.
“When somebody comes in from an accident, you don’t think twice about giving them blood; why could we not give people stem cells, ” said Ryan.
“Everybody wants to walk in the shoes of someone who has already had that experience,” said Blake.
It’s those actions connecting people to resources.
“Anything from multiple sclerosis to muscular dystrophy to autism to spinal cord injuries,” said Blake.
Ryan and Blake are working on a documentary to share their story along with others around the world who have received stem cell therapy.
An exact release date has not been set.
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