Kim Willson spent more than 25 years working in law enforcement. Throughout that time, the career proved professionally fulfilling but also physically difficult.

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“I was really hard on my body in my 20s and 30s. Then, I was working by myself a lot, I had to move heavy boxes. I also traveled a lot.” Willson recalled.

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Then one day she recalled a moment that she thought would change her independent and active lifestyle forever. “All of a sudden, I was walking across base one day, and I basically blew out a couple of my lower (back) discs,” she said. “It pinched my sciatic nerve and so my sciatica was on fire. I literally fell to my knees.”

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It was the beginning of an incredibly difficult period for Willson. She spent months unable to walk, and later only able to walk with the aid of a cane. The situation left her in a state of disbelief.

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“I’d been seeing a chiropractor for years but it wasn’t working for what I needed. I couldn’t even walk really. And I was just thinking this can’t go on. This isn’t the way I’m supposed to live,” she said.

“I was like ‘I’m under 50, this shouldn’t be happening,’” she said.

But it was around that time that Willson read a News article that detailed Heller Healthcare’s use of regenerative medicine.

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“It was about the couple who used to dance together,” Willson recalled the story in the Brunswick News about Millie and Harry Manges. “They had stem cells and were able to dance again. I started wondering ‘could this be a possibility?’”

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That interest led her to attend one of Heller Healthcare’s “Lunch & Learn” events. Prior to the pandemic, Heller’s practice would frequently host informational sessions at the Brunswick Country Club, sharing information about programs offered by their practice, located right here in the Golden Isles.

​

During the ‘Lunch & Learn’ Willson was introduced to the world of regenerative medicine, namely stem cell therapy. Once a treatment normally reserved for top athletes, has become more mainstreamed and offered at Heller Healthcare, located right here in the Golden Isles.

​

Heller Healthcare offers an integrative approach to healthcare including comprehensive and cutting edge treatments. From Regenerative to Functional Medicine, including anti-arthritis programs, degenerative joint care treatments, medical massage, chiropractic care, holistic pain management options, bioidentical hormone optimization and even nutritional planning.

​

“So the lunch and learn was really eye-opening. That was my first exposure to it” Willson stated. She also felt she was a good candidate for one or more of Heller’s programs, so she took Heller Healthcare up on their offer for a complementary one-on-one consultation.

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During the consultation Heller’s team reviewed Willson’s specific conditions, discussed options and answered questions that she had.

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After gathering the facts, Willson decided to receive the Regenerative Medicine therapy. Within a matter of weeks, she could tell a huge difference in her quality of life.

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Willson received her regenerative therapy in November, 2019. “It didn’t take long (to see an improvement). That’s what blew my mind. Initially I still had that fire in my back and there was still a tear in my disc. But, within a few weeks, the pain was subsiding, the sharpness was subsiding. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Those first three months were a miracle.”

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She also discovered that now her body is able to bounce back from activity quickly.

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“Recovery is amazing. If I lift something too heavy now, I’m ready to go again the next day,” she said. “Recovery is key.”

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In addition to the regenerative therapy, Willson also received bioidentical hormone replacement therapy which Heller also offers.

“The hormone therapy has really helped a lot with things that I didn’t realize were going on,” she said.

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The treatments Heller Healthcare provided has given Willson a new lease on life — one she couldn’t have imagined when she was living in so much pain.

​

“Going from not being able to walk to being able to recover overnight has been a God-send,” Willson said.

​

Kim Willson spent more than 25 years working in law enforcement. Throughout that time, the career proved professionally fulfilling but also physically difficult.

​

“I was really hard on my body in my 20s and 30s. Then, I was working by myself a lot, I had to move heavy boxes. I also traveled a lot.” Willson recalled.

​

Then one day she recalled a moment that she thought would change her independent and active lifestyle forever. “All of a sudden, I was walking across base one day, and I basically blew out a couple of my lower (back) discs,” she said. “It pinched my sciatic nerve and so my sciatica was on fire. I literally fell to my knees.”

​

It was the beginning of an incredibly difficult period for Willson. She spent months unable to walk, and later only able to walk with the aid of a cane. The situation left her in a state of disbelief.

​

“I’d been seeing a chiropractor for years but it wasn’t working for what I needed. I couldn’t even walk really. And I was just thinking this can’t go on. This isn’t the way I’m supposed to live,” she said.

“I was like ‘I’m under 50, this shouldn’t be happening,’” she said.

But it was around that time that Willson read a News article that detailed Heller Healthcare’s use of regenerative medicine.

​

“It was about the couple who used to dance together,” Willson recalled the story in the Brunswick News about Millie and Harry Manges. “They had stem cells and were able to dance again. I started wondering ‘could this be a possibility?’”

​

That interest led her to attend one of Heller Healthcare’s “Lunch & Learn” events. Prior to the pandemic, Heller’s practice would frequently host informational sessions at the Brunswick Country Club, sharing information about programs offered by their practice, located right here in the Golden Isles.

​

During the ‘Lunch & Learn’ Willson was introduced to the world of regenerative medicine, namely stem cell therapy. Once a treatment normally reserved for top athletes, has become more mainstreamed and offered at Heller Healthcare, located right here in the Golden Isles.

​

Heller Healthcare offers an integrative approach to healthcare including comprehensive and cutting edge treatments. From Regenerative to Functional Medicine, including anti-arthritis programs, degenerative joint care treatments, medical massage, chiropractic care, holistic pain management options, bioidentical hormone optimization and even nutritional planning.

​

“So the lunch and learn was really eye-opening. That was my first exposure to it” Willson stated. She also felt she was a good candidate for one or more of Heller’s programs, so she took Heller Healthcare up on their offer for a complementary one-on-one consultation.

​

During the consultation Heller’s team reviewed Willson’s specific conditions, discussed options and answered questions that she had.

​

After gathering the facts, Willson decided to receive the Regenerative Medicine therapy. Within a matter of weeks, she could tell a huge difference in her quality of life.

​

Willson received her regenerative therapy in November, 2019. “It didn’t take long (to see an improvement). That’s what blew my mind. Initially I still had that fire in my back and there was still a tear in my disc. But, within a few weeks, the pain was subsiding, the sharpness was subsiding. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Those first three months were a miracle.”

​

She also discovered that now her body is able to bounce back from activity quickly.

​

“Recovery is amazing. If I lift something too heavy now, I’m ready to go again the next day,” she said. “Recovery is key.”

​

In addition to the regenerative therapy, Willson also received bioidentical hormone replacement therapy which Heller also offers.

“The hormone therapy has really helped a lot with things that I didn’t realize were going on,” she said.

​

The treatments Heller Healthcare provided has given Willson a new lease on life — one she couldn’t have imagined when she was living in so much pain.

​

“Going from not being able to walk to being able to recover overnight has been a God-send,” Willson said.

​

Angie Rustin has always enjoyed an active lifestyle. A running enthusiast, she’s completed multiple half marathons and loves being surrounded by nature. She spends her life working hard and playing hard.

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But, this past fall, one such outing took a painful and unexpected turn.

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“I had gone for a walk, nothing crazy, just about two miles, and afterward. I was stretching ... I heard and felt this internal pop in my low back. It was like a pop ... but it didn’t really hurt. I was just like, ‘hmmm that was weird,’” she recalled.

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Over the next few days, however, was a different story.

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“I knew something was wrong. It started to hurt and it got progressively worse until I could barely walk,” Rustin said.

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As the pain grew, she sought the help of her longtime chiropractor, Dr. Jennifer Heller. When Rustin walked through the doors, Heller could see that her patient was in a lot of pain.

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“I’d been seeing her regularly for her tune-ups and when she came in, she was having trouble walking. She was even having trouble getting up and down on the table,” Heller recalled.

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The two settled on a course of conservative treatment to begin. They worked on adjusting Rustin’s spine, gentle stretching and reducing the inflammation. But there was little progress.

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“I missed a lot of work. I couldn’t even sit. I would lay on my side in my bed. I had to have help even rolling over,” she said.

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It turned out that Rustin had ruptured a disc, a gel-like cushion in between the vertebras of her spine. There was little hope for relief beyond surgery. And that was something that she did not want to do.

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“You know, I’m 43. I really didn’t want to have surgery,” she said.

“You’re too young,” Heller agreed.

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So instead, Rustin and the Heller team started talking about the option of Regenerative Medicine. Heller Healthcare, located at 208 Scranton Connector, in Brunswick, has seen enormous success treating patients with this cutting-edge therapy.

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As a longtime athlete, Rustin was familiar with Regenerative Medicine, but thought it was mainly used to treat the injuries of professional athletes, and had never considered it for herself.

After exploring the options with Heller’s team, Rustin decided Regenerative Medicine was the way to go and signed on for the treatment.

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“We just weren’t getting very far and we needed a little more help,” Heller explained.

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Rustin agreed. And felt it was her only chance to return to the active lifestyle she so treasured.

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“I was in such terrible pain. I missed about 15 to 17 days of work that month. And emotionally it took a toll too because I was so worried that I’d never be able to do the things I enjoyed. You know, I might never want to run another half marathon, but I’d at least like to have the choice,” Rustin said. She hoped that the treatment would give her the freedom to have that option one day.

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Dr. Kalpesh Mistry and nurse practitioner Kyndra Thomas delivered her treatment via injection, and it didn’t take long at all for Rustin to see results.

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“I would say that within four or five days I could tell a big difference,” Rustin recalled. “I was thinking ... ‘is my brain playing tricks on me?’ But it wasn’t long before I wasn’t even taking Tylenol at night.”

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And over time, her condition continued to improve. It’s been a rewarding and uplifting journey for both Rustin and the Heller team. It’s also one that Rustin hopes others will consider.

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“From my experience, I would encourage people to keep an open mind and be willing to look into it. I would do it again ... and I probably will,” she said.

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Kay Meeks has always been amazed by the healing power of the human body. And, as a registered nurse, it was something that she turned into a long career.

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But after retiring, she wanted to continue to learn. That’s when she started to explore non-traditional treatments like regenerative medicine. “For many years after I retired, I moved away from traditional medicine and toward alternative,” she said.

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The benefits of medications, surgery, and physical therapy have gotten her only so far with her increased pain, stiffness and what she loves to do best, which included being outdoors and doing work in the yard.

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“I’m really impressed by Kay,” Dr. Heller said. “As a RN she has seen so many cases of severe arthritis in the shoulders and knees, degenerative disc disease and stenosis of the spine, and everything in between. And now that she is suffering with it herself, she has chosen a different route than what is typically offered."

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“My mother is still living, she’s 95, and she uses a scooter to get around. She’s not mobile. I started thinking about things that I would be facing,” Meeks said.

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“When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune disease (erythromelalgia), regenerative medicine was just becoming common knowledge,” she said.

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“With Kay’s severe arthritis in her neck, shoulder, and low back, her added health problems increased her burning and stinging in her hands and feet. Basically, she needed help all over,” Heller said.

Meeks, who lives in Statesboro, conversed with her chiropractor and also started doing research online. That led her to Brunswick — to the office of Heller Healthcare.

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The Brunswick-based practice offers an integrative and holistic approach to wellness. They not only offer classic care like chiropractic and medical massage therapy, they also offer functional and regenerative medicine. Their programs are designed to get to the root of the issue, and not just treat the symptom. From programs focused on anti-arthritis to degenerative joint care treatments, holistic pain management options to hormone optimization and nutritional planning, and more. They work with each patient individually, mapping out a custom health plan to fit each personal lifestyle.

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Meeks met with the Heller team and learned more about Regenerative Medicine, and also that she was a good candidate for the program. She decided the treatment was right for her and it was wise to make that investment in her body and her future.

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“I did my low back, my neck, both hands and my shoulder. I’m about nine weeks out,” she said. “My massage therapist and chiropractor in Statesboro are amazed by the muscle tone and movement in my joints. They can tell a big difference structurally. I’ve gotten a lot stronger,” she said.

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Kyndra Thomas, nurse practitioner at Heller Healthcare, says that she, Dr. Heller and the rest of their team have coordinated with Meeks’ provider in Statesboro to continue to offer the best care possible. “We collaborated with her doctor who is treating her for erythromelalgia. We also share our treatment plan with her chiropractor in Statesboro,” Thomas said. “Working with patients that are not local has been more common in the past year."

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For Meeks, she’s pleased with her path and is excited to see the results that come over the next year as the stem cells continue to heal and change the way her body functions.

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“I’m going to give the stem cells a year to see how that impacts me and I also might come back and try the IV stem cell treatment that they offer here, to address my erythromelalgia,” she said.

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When you meet Mike Fly, one thing becomes immediately clear — he’s a sensible guy. As a former real estate agent turned developer and business owner, rationality was certainly a skill that served him well. He was able to make smart moves that proved beneficial when making deals.

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But it’s also come in handy when making other important life decisions. That’s especially true when it comes to his health.

For decades, Fly has battled shoulder and neck pain, following a car accident in his 20s and it led him on a quest to find the best course for healing.

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“That accident messed it up. But it wasn’t unbearable. I didn’t even go to the hospital at the time,” he said.

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For Fly, however, it was the beginning of a long road. Through the years, the pain in the shoulder and neck continued to intensify. A situation, Fly notes, that may have been exacerbated by a love of a particular sport.

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“I was a racquetball advocate,” Fly recalled with a laugh. “That probably didn’t help it.”

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But he kept on keeping on — working and engaging in favored past times like hunting. Eventually though, it all starting to catch up with him. After visiting a doctor, he was told that his right shoulder has lost all of its cartilage.

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“It was just bone-on-bone,” he said. “My left shoulder wasn’t as bad but it wasn’t good either.”

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Not only was he dealing with the pain, Fly was also enduring sleepless nights, unable to find comfort. And not being able to get adequate rest spilled over to numerous areas in his life.

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“My wife, Mary, told me I was irritable. And I was ... I was tired,” he said.

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Fly had some orthoscopic work done in the past but the pain always returned. He tried to find relief by enduring painful steroid injections. But he knew that was not a long-term solution.

“I knew that wasn’t probably a good for you to keep doing. It was more like having an oil job but it wasn’t going to last. I would have to keep going back,” he said.

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Before long, his doctor suggested a full shoulder replacement. However, after doing his due diligence, Fly decided that surgery was something he just didn’t want to do. So, he started exploring other options.

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During a conversation with a friend, Darrell Sammons, he heard about regenerative medicine treatments being offered by Heller Healthcare.

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Sammons, a retired pharmacist, had been in a similar position as Fly, dealing with chronic pain in his lower back, shoulders, hip and leg, and he too wanted to avoid surgery. Sammons received regenerative therapy at Heller to treat his chronic pain, and it was a game changer.

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“Darrell told me about his experience and I figured it was something to look into,” Fly said.

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Heller Healthcare offers various approaches to treating a wide-array of conditions. They offer an anti-arthritis program, degenerative joint care treatment, medical massage, chiropractic care, holistic pain management options, hormone optimization and even nutritional planning. They also specialize in regenerative medicine. Once a treatment normally reserved for top athletes, has become more mainstreamed and offered at Heller Healthcare, located right here in the Golden Isles.

​

“Regenerative Medicine is revolutionizing the medical industry as a whole. For decades, it was available only in other countries, but since 2015 we have been able to provide this kind of care here to help restore muscle, bone, cartilage and tendons, and of course combat joint pain, arthritis, sports injuries” Heller said.

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I met with Dr. Jen and she was very up front with me about the procedure and what to expect,” he said.

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Fly took this information and did his own research. He also considered the monetary investment, as insurance doesn’t typically cover the cost of regenerative medicine. After deliberation, Fly felt comfortable in making the move, as it offered a way out of constant pain. And within two weeks of receiving the treatment, he started to notice a difference.

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“I had it done in June. After two weeks, I felt a little better. I came back to Dr. Jen and she suggested that we do the whole program — incorporating chiropractic and massage to help… which made a lot of sense,” he said.

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Fly was committed and did what Heller prescribed. And, as a result, he’s found a life that’s mostly pain-free already.

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“I’m very proud of Mike and how he’s been such a great patient. He does his homework, he shows up for all of his appointments, and has gotten great results such as sleeping every night. I believe everyone is happy about his good mood now!” Heller said with a laugh.

Rebecca Koets has always been athletic. The Jacksonville resident spent her life on the softball diamond and in the gym, working hard to perfect her skills.

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Of course, over the years, wear and tear began to take a toll.

“I’ve been in sports my whole life. I’ve done just about every sport you can think of ... even got a scholarship for softball. I really used and abused my knees,” she said.

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But even after Koets finished her college career, she continued to lead an active lifestyle. It wasn’t long though before she started noticing that activities were becoming more and more difficult.

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“All my joints were basically overused but I really started to have more and more knee pain. I wasn’t able to get out and do as much fitness stuff as I wanted. And, after playing volleyball with friends one day, I couldn’t move for a week,” she recalled.

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“The straw that really broke the camel’s back was that I wasn’t able to run when I wanted to ... and I also couldn’t get on the floor to play with my nieces and nephews.”

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The pain and joint stiffness even prevented Koets from walking down stairs. With each step, she’d simply hope for the best, dropping one foot to the next step in a dangerous descent.

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“I would just gracefully fall. I knew I had to do something. My dad has bad knees and can hardly move and my grandfather actually died from a blood clot during knee surgery so I knew what was what was ahead for me if I didn’t do something.”

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Koets had access to a wealth of information about wellness. Her sister is Dr. Jen Heller, a chiropractor and owner of Heller Healthcare, in Brunswick. The facility utilizes a number of modalities to promote health and wellbeing including chiropractic care, massage therapy, function and regenerative medicine.

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“Regenerative Medicine is revolutionizing the medical industry as a whole. For decades, it was available only in other countries, but since 2015 we have been able to provide this kind of care here to help restore muscle, bone, cartilage and tendons, and of course combat joint pain, arthritis, sports injuries” Heller said.

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While never pushing her sister, Heller did share the results she experienced from her own regenerative treatment, as well as from countless patients who received the therapy.

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“At first, I was telling myself that I was too young to do this. But I started thinking, ‘if I don’t do it now, I may never get back to where I want to be,’” she said.

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Koets traveled to Heller’s Brunswick office to hear a presentation by Dr. Rajen Naidoo, Heller’s orthopedist and regenerative medicine specialist, and meet with members of the Heller staff including Dr. Kalpesh Mistry, a medical doctor who works in Heller’s practice, as well as Kyndra Thomas, NP, to map out the best course of treatment for patients. After meeting with the team, Koets decided to go ahead with the regenerative therapy.

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“I was a little worried about getting the injections ... and I got nervous when I saw the needle,” she said with a laugh. “But they numbed the area beforehand and I seriously didn’t feel anything. It was the weirdest thing. I had no pain ... so I was freaking out for no reason at all.”

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Her results proved even more impressive. In a matter of days, the fluid in her swollen knees receded, returning them to their normal size.

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“I always called them my ‘angry knees’ because they were so swollen and irritated. The very next day they felt less swollen. On the following Monday, I started getting some control back in them while walking,” Koets recalled. “Then on Tuesday, they looked like real knees again!”

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By that following Friday, she could descend the stairs without falling from one step to the next. And the results only continued to improve from there.

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“Three weeks out ... I could do whatever I wanted to do. It was just phenomenal. I really couldn’t believe it,” she said.

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Koets only regret is that she didn’t seek treatment sooner. And she strongly encourages those who may be in a similar situation not to wait before getting help.

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“I always had a couple of things mentally that I’d tell myself ... one was that I needed to lose 10-20 pounds before I did it so that it would be easier on my joints. But I couldn’t move well enough to do the work to lose the weight,” she said. “This was the best option ... you just have to go for it and make life what you want it to be. I could’ve just continued to sit in the chair or I could get up and do something to start living again.”

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Seated in the cozy waiting area of Heller Healthcare in Brunswick, a group of patients chatted away excitedly. From the outside, it appeared they were old friends but in reality, they had never met before.

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It was quickly clear that Clay Davis, Darrell Sammons and Rachel Moore were connected in a meaningful way. Each of them had terrible pain from arthritis, bone on bone knees, or degenerative discs in the back or neck. Each of them were patients of Dr. Jen Heller. Most importantly, each of them have had the most amazing results and were passionate about sharing the story of their path to healing.

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While their issues were different, they all received Regenerative Medicine therapy under Nurse Practitioner Kyndra Thomas’ direction, and chiropractic care under Dr. Heller’s watchful eye. And because of that, there’s a sense of camaraderie and shared gratitude among the group.

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“If I hadn’t experienced this, I would think people were exaggerating. I just never could have imagined that I would feel this good,” Davis said to Sammons.

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“... and at this age,” Sammons (now age 73) replied with a laugh.

Both Davis and Sammons had regenerative treatments in their lower backs. Davis battled years of wear and tear from sports, exercise and a career in construction.

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“It was just a gradual thing for me. I never had an accident or anything like that” Davis said.

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“Clay is a great example of weekend warrior turned 7 days a week warrior” laughed Heller. “He’s a builder and you can only do it daily for so many years till it catches up with you. Clays low back pain and degenerative discs have been a struggle for him for awhile, and they weren’t getting better. We had to do something more” stated Heller.

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After Davis’ Regenerative Medicine treatment, in May 2019, it was clear that this would be a lasting solution. Davis says his life has entirely changed.

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“It really is amazing. I never thought that it could be this good. I’m back to working out and doing all of the things I was (able to do) years ago,” Davis said. “I’m blown away everyday.”

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Sammons shares that view. The retired pharmacist experienced low back, neck, and shoulder pain for years, making the most ordinary tasks difficult.

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“I couldn’t sleep on one side. I couldn’t even turn my neck to look over my shoulder when I was driving,” he recalled.

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“Darrell has been a perfect example of a great patient. It came easy for him to follow the rules since he knew surgery and pain meds wasn’t something he wanted to do...well, that and he wanted to be able to turn his head again” she said with a laugh.

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He received his Regenerative Medicine treatment, in March of 2020, and has seen life-changing results.

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“I just thank the good Lord for Dr. Jen and her staff. They have a sign out in the lobby that says ‘Come in, We’re Awesome,’ well they are awesome,” he said with a smile.

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“Regenerative Medicine is revolutionizing the medical industry as a whole. For decades, it was available only in other countries, but since 2015 we have been able to provide this kind of care here to help restore muscle, bone, cartilage and tendons, and of course combat joint pain, arthritis, sports injuries” Heller said.

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Like Sammons and Davis, Moore has also found a new lease on life thanks to Regenerative Medicine. She had debilitating pain in her knees — with one swelling to twice its normal size. Moore even found walking nearly impossible.

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“I talked with Dr. Jen about my knees and she told me that she had regenerative medicine treatment when she tore her rotator cuff. Well, I knew people who had rotator cuff injuries and it took them months to recover. Dr. Jen said with her regenerative medicine treatment it was just a few weeks. So, I decided to try it.”

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“Rachel’s recovery was very cool. She knew that it took my shoulder 3 weeks before I had full range of motion and was pain free, so that was the clock she had in her mind. And by that 3rd day, her knee was normal size and by that 3rd week, she was walking normal and pain free. It was fantastic to watch!” Heller said.

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Moore received her Regenerative Medicine treatment in February, 2019 and results were incredible. Moore continues to relish her new life without the specter of constant pain.

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“It’s amazing ... I don’t even think about my knees. They’ve been rejuvenated,” Moore said.

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For all three patients, the success of the treatment has been nothing short of miraculous. But what’s made as great an impact is the way they’ve been treated in Heller’s office.

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“Every time you walk in the door — you’re greeted by name. They watch out for you ... the whole staff does. They really care about your progress and your life,” Moore said.

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Davis and Sammons nodded in agreement.

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For Dr. Heller, treating patients like family just comes naturally. And celebrating their journeys out of pain and back to life is why she does what she does.

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“It’s really amazing for me because I get to see them transform. That’s the fun part of the job,” Heller said with a smile.

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Israeli innovator and designer Dror Benshetrit once said, “Thinking outside the box means crossing disciplines and pulling in expertise and perspective from outside of the standard boundaries.”

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That’s a concept that Dr. Jennifer Heller believes in wholeheartedly and has built for the Golden Isles. Multidiscipline healthcare is something that has always been at the forefront of her practice, Heller Healthcare in Brunswick.

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Dr. Heller has forged an innovative path, creating individualized programs that incorporate traditional medicine, chiropractic care, massage therapy, functional and regenerative medicine, within her offices practice. Everything from hormone replacement therapy to weight loss; from regenerating bone on bone knees and combating low back disc disease to chiropractic care; her patients have reaped the benefits of Heller Healthcare’s approach with countless men and women finding a new life free from chronic pain.

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Through her extensive training and research, Heller has been able to engage with others in the field who are also committed to offering patients a new lease on life. Her team includes not just her as the chiropractor, but Dr. Kalpesh Mistery, MD, nurse practitioner Kyndra Thomas, and regenerative medicine specialist, Dr. Rajen Naidoo, MD.

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Dr. Naidoo is a physician scientist with a doctorate in medicine from Yale University. The orthopedic surgeon also holds biomedical engineering degrees and has a 30-year history in the biosciences, studying, researching, and providing clinical trials and treatments for re-growing cartilage, ligaments, and tissue. We know it as regenerative medicine, while most people refer to it as stem cell therapy.

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“The best part of working with Dr. Naidoo is taking his knowledge, research, and experience and providing that same level of care not just in a big city, but right here in Brunswick”, Heller said.

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Following a career teaching orthopedic surgery at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, Dr. Naidoo relocated to Florida where he has an orthopedic practice located in Palm Beach and Broward counties. He also travels to continue his research, lecture, and treat patients all over the world with regenerative medicine and is a guest lecturer on regenerative medicine at Harvard University.

Today, these modalities include the use of Human Umbilical Cord Tissue (HUCT) stem cells, which are derived from the mindfully donated umbilical cords from healthy mothers who birthed healthy babies.

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For Naidoo, the scientific benefit of these treatments and the results they provide is truly revolutionary.

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“The science is incredible. Even though this is cutting edge, it is very simple when you look at it. Every nanosecond a baby is born in the world and you can obtain these naive stem cells from the umbilical cord, the amniotic fluid, the placenta cells,” Dr. Naidoo said. “All of these cells can then be used to treat diseases in different products in different ways.”

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While Dr. Naidoo notes that the stem cells are not being claimed to cure diseases, they do allow for drastic improvements in treating inflammation and providing relief for multiple ailments.

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“Umbilical cells regenerate musculoskeletal tissue the best. Ligament, muscle, cartilage, disc tissue has the highest growth” Heller said. “Patients with severe arthritis, pain, or told that surgery is their only option are our best patients with the most drastic results” she added.

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Dr. Naidoo states “It’s a very powerful treatment, especially for autoimmune disorders. It’s regenerative in nature and so it can regenerate damaged tissues,” he said. “The best part of it is — you don’t have a down side. Ninety percent of people respond and do very well.”

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These new age treatments provide a viable alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, which come with a host of side effects and risks. Finding natural modalities for treatments rather than relying on potentially dangerous medications is a passion that Dr. Naidoo and Dr. Heller share.

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Once they started to confer, they discovered that their approach to care was very much in-step. That’s why Dr. Heller asked Dr. Naidoo to come on board and join her practice. Dr. Naidoo will be a constant point of contact for Heller and her practitioners, offering his expertise and insights on treatment programs.

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“I think that because, in the U.S., stem cell therapy is still so new that people don’t think it’s available or reliable. That’s not true. Dr. Naidoo’s 30 years of experience regenerating the body and choosing that over surgery as a surgeon says a lot. It’s been said that this type of therapy is the wave of the future. It is and it’s here and has been here for a while. We’ve already seen a great amount of change in the lives of our patients,” Dr. Heller stated.

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“I always believe in working as a team. No one person. There’s no one person who has all the answers. When we work together, we are at our strongest,” Dr. Naidoo said.

“It was 1992 and my back went out at work after moving some heavy office equipment,” he said. “I think it was brought on by 25 years of office work. I also think it had a lot to do with the poorly designed office equipment.”

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“It’s amazing what high stress, repetitive motion or lack of motion, and ‘typical’ wear and tear on the body will do to the human spine. Everyone hears about arthritis and degenerative disc or joint disease, but once you see yours on x-ray or MRI, it can really shock people,” Dr. Heller said.

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Bush knew that his lack of mobility was an ongoing battle and started to do his research on options to combat issues at hand. His research lead him to explore stem cell therapy, which in turn led him to the office of Heller Healthcare and Golden Isles Functional Medicine, located in Brunswick.

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Wanting to learn more about their approach, Bush set up a one-on-one consultation with their office in January.

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“We talked about it and I got into the program (starting) with the (chiropractic) adjustments. Then, I got the stem cell injections (just a few weeks later),” Bush said.

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Since receiving the stem cells at the beginning of the year, Bush has seen a big difference. He no longer has pain or stiffness and is able to maneuver easily.

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“I was in the attic the other day helping some guys with the duct work for the air condition. I was climbing around the rafters. I was like a monkey,” he said, as he demonstrated his bob and weave maneuvers.

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Overall, Bush feels that the stem cells coupled with Heller’s care and his dedication to a healthy lifestyle has helped him realize his best life.

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“I just want to live healthy … if you’re not healthy, you’re not living well,” he said.

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Lori Stradtman’s powder blue mask says it all — B-L-E-S-S-E-D. And that’s precisely how she feels, especially considering the fact that a few months back she could barely walk due to severe pain.

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It all began back in May. Stradtman, who owns Air Adjusters in Brunswick with her husband, Scott, started to notice that her “normal” low back pain was starting to get worse.

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“It had been going on for a long time and I had been ignoring it. I just assumed that was the way it was going to be. My mother and grandmother had arthritis, so I just figured that was what it was,” she said.

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But “normal” pain isn’t normal, it’s common. As arthritis and degenerative discs go, her pain went from bad to worse overnight. She awoke one morning to the feeling of being skewered by a “flaming sword.”

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“That’s the way I describe it. I woke up about 5 in the morning and couldn’t move. I couldn’t sit. I couldn’t stand,” she recalled. “It was terrible. I went to one of the urgent care places who basically told me I have arthritis starting, but that I would be alright.”

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However, with the amount of pain she was experiencing, it was clear to her that she was not going to be alright. After going to her physician who gave her pain medications, Stradtman started to worry that her life was never going to be the same. She even abandoned her pandemic passion project — a home garden — and since sitting, standing, and bending were out of the question, she couldn’t even work in her own business. “I had to have our daughters help me,” she said.

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Both Stradtman and her husband started to worry that she may never return to a life without debilitating pain. But not one to resign herself to that, she started looking for solutions. The search led her to Dr. Jenner Heller and Heller Healthcare.

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After an evaluation, Stradtman discovered that the source of her pain was a 33.4 degree curvature in her spine, as well as several herniated and bulged discs. But Heller and her staff forged ahead with a treatment plan, gently explaining the process and answering questions. They started conservatively with just chiropractic, but eventually after 2 weeks, they began looking at stem cell options.

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“I was scared to death that I would have to have surgery but we started talking about the stem cells. It is an investment because insurance doesn’t cover it but I decided to go ahead and do it,” she said.

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Stradtman received her stem cell treatment from Heller’s nurse practitioner, Kyndra Thomas, in June and saw a difference almost immediately.

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“It was truly just three days and I felt better. And now it’s been a few weeks and I’m almost pain-free. I would say it’s 90 percent better,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it and Dr. Heller says it should keep getting better.”

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Now, Stradtman is back to her active lifestyle — keeping up with paperwork at the office and embracing the ability to do even the basic tasks at home.

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“It was the little things like even doing laundry ... it’s simple but it means a lot to be able to do those. And of course, working in the yard,” she said with a grin. “I’m just so glad I did it. It was an investment in your health and well-being. It’s your quality of life, which is the most important thing.”

The Rev. David Harrell bounced through the doors of Heller Healthcare in Brunswick. With a spring in his step, the Patterson resident happily took a seat in the cozy waiting area of the office.

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A few months back, this was a different scene entirely. Harrell, who suffered for years of multiple levels of herniated and degenerative disc disease, used to live each day in daily pain.

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“I wasn’t bouncing around ... that’s for sure,” he said.

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Though Harrell has never had an injury or an accident, the repetitive in and out of cars, traveling in the car and poor posture put him in this position. The pain was palpable and showing no signs of subsiding. At 60 years old, he started to worry about what the pain would mean for his future.

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“My mother has some back problems too... but I started to worry about what I would be like when I’m in my 70s,” he said.

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“I was (previously) told that I might have to have multiple surgeries and I didn’t want that” he stated.

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Harrell started looking for answers. It came — as so many have for him — at church. One of his congregants shared some information about Heller Healthcare and their stem cell therapy program with Harrell — and his interest was piqued.

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Harrell found found his way to Heller Healthcare, located in Brunswick.    After his consultation and learning more about the procedure he decided to go for it and received his stem cell therapy in mid-April, treating his upper to mid-back. He was amazed at just how quickly he felt the results, and in just a few days, he was sure he had made the right decision.

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“I could tell a difference in just a few days ... and I don’t think that was in my head,” he said. And it just got better from there.

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“I would say that I’m 80 percent pain-free and it’s only been two and a half months,” he said.

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“I don’t even take Tylenol now. I don’t need any medicine,” he said. “For me, it’s been a miracle and I’m thankful to the good Lord for it.”

After getting to know one another, the two learned they shared a passion – golfing – and ventured to the course for their first date. But after spending time together on the links, the two also realized they had something else in common – chronic pain.

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Both Hughes and Walker had enjoyed athletic, active lifestyles in their youth. And, overtime, the wear and tear seemed to catch up with them.

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Both explored chiropractic care as a way of alleviating their pain. Over their individual courses of treatment, the two found relief, however, Hughes knew there were more options available.

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Being a massage therapist at Heller Healthcare and Golden Isles Functional Medicine, as well as a hands-on part of their patient treatment plans, Hughes has seen firsthand the amazing life changing results their patients have had with

their stem cell therapy.

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Each day, after providing her patients with their massage therapy, helping them relieve their pain, Hughes would spend hours icing her hands to recover herself. She knew her career literally relies on her hands and she needed to stop putting it off and take action. She shared her thoughts with Walker, and suggested he join her. After careful consideration, she and Walker decided to make the investment and have stem cell therapy themselves.

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Hughes had injections in her hands while Walker’s low back was treated. It wasn’t long before the two were added to the list of those patients whose lives were changed by stem cell therapy.

“It was almost immediate. I noticed that I just wasn’t thinking about my back pain. It was something that had just always been there before,” Walker said.

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“I think that — and I’ve seen this with my patients — when you’re in pain, you’re not really yourself. You can’t be fully present. I think that was how it was for me … but after the treatment, I was able to really focus on other things,” Hughes said.

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The two had the treatment at the end of 2019. Over the following months, their lives improved immeasurably and their pain is a thing of the past. Now, they are quick to grab their clubs and hit the golf course without worrying about the repercussions of playing 18 holes.

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“It used to be that I would have to take three days off after playing golf. It’s completely different now. We’re lucky that we both remember what it was like before and can remind one another of how far we’ve come,” Walker said, smiling at his better half.

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Hughes returned the smile and nodded.

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“I think that emotionally it’s such an awesome thing. We’re able to focus more on other areas of our lives and what we love to do. For me, that’s golf, yoga and massage therapy. It has truly been a game changer,” she said.

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Clay Davis has led an active life. The Brunswick resident has always challenged himself, whether it’s competing in athletics in college or participating in triathlons or 5K’s as an adult. That extends to his professional life as well — he works as a builder, climbing up and down ladders all day long.

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But, over time, his body started to show signs of wear, especially his lower back.

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“About five years ago ... I have two daughters and they were 4 and 6 at the time. I couldn’t pick them up,” he said, shaking his head. “And every morning when I would wake up, I would put my feet on the floor and my feet would hurt. It was a painful experience just walking to the bathroom every morning.”

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Davis, who’s a pretty tough cookie, resigned himself to the fact that this was his new normal, chalking it up to aging.

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“I was just a regular guy. I was healthy. I ate a healthy diet. I just figured ‘well I’m 40 now.’ But then I started worrying what it would be like when I was 60,’” he said.

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His wife saw how much he struggled daily and encouraged him to seek help. She was being treated by Dr. Jennifer Heller, at Heller Healthcare in Brunswick. Begrudgingly, he decided to give it a try.

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Davis' customized treatment plan included chiropractic care, nutrition and regenerative medicine therapy.

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Davis decided it was the path for him and had stem cell therapy in his mid and low back a year ago. Today, he’s a walking example of their power and effectiveness.

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“Over the course of this time, I am now doing everything that I was doing 10 years ago. I’m now back running and lifting. My daughters are 5 years older than they were, but now we’re at the pool playing ... I can be physically active and doing the things that I just had given up on doing again,” he said. “To me, that’s PRICELESS. You can’t put a price on what that’s added back to my life.”

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Darrell Sammons worked for years as a pharmacist and business owner. And while it didn’t seem physically demanding at the time, little movements over the years began to take their toll.

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“Holding the phone, between your ear and shoulder while your filling prescriptions over the years impacted my neck and shoulder,” Sammons said.

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But he had been dealing with pain for years — in his lower back, right hip and leg. The pain started more than 10 years ago, and as time passed, it only worsened.

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“In the last five years, I have not had a pain free day. I had difficulty sleeping because of the shoulder pain,” he added “I could only sleep on one side.”

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As a pharmacist, he knew the dangers of taking opioids as pain killers and opted for anti-inflammatories instead, and he managed as best he could.

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Sammons found his way to Heller Healthcare where he was introduced to the world of regenerative medicine, namely stem cell therapy. Once a treatment normally reserved for top athletes, has become more mainstreamed and offered at Heller Healthcare, located right here in the Golden Isles.

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“Dr. Heller patiently answered all of my questions. After much prayerful consideration and research, I felt led to proceed with the therapy,” Sammons said.

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“Today, is the end of week five and my overall pain level has decreased. I continue to improve each week. It is miraculous,” Sammons stated. “Thank God for answered prayers and for putting Dr. Heller in my path. She and her staff are so kind and show love and concern to all of their patients.”

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Linda Williams is full of life. And the bubbly St. Simons Island resident has always put that energy toward positive things — building a career in real estate and taking care of her body through exercise.

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“I was very active. I worked out regularly since the 80s. In 2006, I got to where I couldn’t do my workout,” Williams said.

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Not one to be deterred, she decided that she would simply switch up her routine.

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Over time, a thief called pain began to creep in. Williams says that pain in her hips began making her workout program unbearable. But, true to form, she continued to try to overcome her obstacles.

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“I was actually decorating the Christmas tree and got stuck behind it. I had to have my husband come and help me,” she said. “He had to move the tree so that I could turn around on all fours and get up.”

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That’s when Williams knew she had to take action, and found her way to Heller Healthcare.

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“I couldn’t believe it. Within a few weeks, I was basically pain-free. When I came to my first check up after ... I got teary-eyed,” she said with a smile.

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“I started having pains in my right hip and lower back that would shoot all the way down to my toes. It got to where I couldn’t walk across the room without crying,” Middeke said, shaking her head.

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She contacted Heller Healthcare and scheduled her free consultation. From the point she entered the office, she found a sea of compassionate support.

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“I came for several visits and started with the massage therapy. It was great for clearing my sinuses but it wasn’t helping much. So Dr. Jen started telling me about the stem cells,” Middeke said.

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Heller stated, “well when we tried conservative care and it just wasn’t enough, we had to do more. It was hard to watch her try to go from sit to stand without dropping to her knees”.

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Middeke had the treatment, which included eight injections, in October 2019. Over the following weeks, her condition continuously improved, and she continues to see improvements each day.

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“I didn’t even feel the injections. Of course, my pain level was so bad at the time, they could probably have cut my head off and I wouldn’t have felt it ... it was at like a 20,” she said with a laugh. “Now, it’s at a 3. I feel 90 percent better. And we’re just continuing with the adjustments and it gets better and better.”

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The treatment has changed Middeke’s life entirely. She’s been able to embrace life, something that she was afraid she would never be able to do.

“The vision of having sick care, wellness care, and functional medicine all together, working together is what I’ve always wanted for me and my family. We’ve built that and now divided things up so it’s more clear. We have our sick care and primary care which is Brunswick Urgent Care, we have chiropractic and massage under Heller Chiropractic, and then we have our regenerative and functional medicine under Golden Isles Functional Medicine. Three different types of healthcare, all next to each other, all communicating and working together. How awesome is it for your wellness doctor and your medical doctor to work side by side under one roof to meet any need? That was the need — see a need, fill a need, right?” she said with a laugh.

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“People in our community now have one place to go, whether they’re sick or they are well, or they want alternative medicine or traditional medicine.”

“I tried a lot of different things. Pain management, chiropractors, physical therapy — none of it worked. Every year it was getting worse. Finally, in 2018, my pain management doctor finally talked me into the epidural steroid. The insurance company might as well have burned that money because it didn’t do anything.” Geraldine stated.

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Then, a friend suggested that Geraldine give Heller Healthcare and Brunswick Urgent Care a try.  Geraldine took her friend’s advice and scheduled an appointment. Dr. Jen Heller vividly remembers the early days of Geraldine’s treatment.

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Geraldine continues to see Heller Healthcare for chiropractic and other supportive modalities. And she cannot say enough about the care Heller Healthcare’s staff has provided.

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“The biggest difference I have seen in Geraldine is her attitude and love for life. I met her when she wasn’t her best, and now I see smiles, jokes, and an attitude like I’ve never seen before” laughs Heller.

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“You feel like you’re home. They listen and when you’re here, they’re on your time not the other way around. I would recommend that anyone come here,” Geraldine said.

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“So it came from all those years of lifting stuff. And one morning I woke up in excruciating pain. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t sit. I couldn’t lay in the bed. It was all painful.” Ponsell stated.

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Following his treatment Ponsell remarked, “By the end of the first day though, I was feeling better. Day two was better, and on day three I was able to drive up to Athens to move my daughter into her sorority house.” 

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It’s just been a few weeks since this treatment and he is already back in the gym and enjoying the outdoors.  For Ponsell, it truly has been a lifesaver.

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“I’ve told everybody I can to get in here. People have been watching how my recovery has gone and are impressed. It’s been great, I’m going fishing tomorrow,” he said with a smile.

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“I have no back pain now. I used to have low back pain that ran down my legs. I can bend over and touch my toes now,” Harry said. “And I’m 75. You either spend the money or you live in pain ... that was easy for us.”

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"It’s been incredible. I don’t think I’ve seen results as fast as he has but I have seen results,” Millie said. “I did have a bit of a set-back with a fall (since my stem cell injections) but then Dr. Jen gave me chiropractic treatment and massage. Now, I am back to where I was.”

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Feeling like she was no longer in control of her body was unacceptable to her. Even though she has been a longtime yoga practitioner and very active, she knew it just wasn’t enough to combat the arthritis.

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Kerr was a good candidate for the stem cell therapy program offered by Heller Healthcare.   Following her stem cell treatment she saw improvement right away.  

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“I think for anyone struggling with joint issues or really any kind of pain. It’s worth it, even if you started with one joint, it would be very helpful,” Kerr said just two months after her treatment.

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“This is a tremendously wonderful practice.   And, it’s not just chiropractic and it’s not just stems cells….” she remarked about Heller Healthcare.  “I’m just very impressed with the office and the staff here.   It all flows so well together.”

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Within just four weeks of her stem cell injections, Singletary already has an entirely new lease on life. No longer does she live her life confined with her daily 7 to 10 pain.   "I do still have some pain but it’s nothing like it was and it’s really not been that long. I’m 90 percent pain free now and the full effects don’t show until four months," she said with a smile.  "I would tell people who are considering it — don't wait. Don’t live in pain because this is the real deal. I feel like a teenager again."

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“For me, thinking about knee replacement surgery was just impossible with how many people and animals I have depending on me,” she said. “Plus my thinking has always been there’s got to be a more natural way ... where I don’t have to put in something that doesn’t belong in my body.” Stephens added.

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 Just six weeks post Stem Cell Therapy, Stephens’s documented developments are incredible. Her mobility has greatly improved; the time it takes her to work is back down to as fast as she has ever been. Her knee pain is hardly noticeable, and she no longer walks with a limp. Her return to an active lifestyle has completely changed her outlook on life and living the way she wants to.

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“I should have done it years ago. It’s so worth it. I suffered for so long,” Stephens said.

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Haigh’s ability to relate to patients has certainly helped make her job easier. And recently she underwent a procedure that many of her patients have experienced — stem cell therapy.

“This (stem cell therapy) is such a nice alternative to surgery. You always want to avoid surgery whenever you can. So, whether it’s through different holistic treatment methods — stem cell, physical therapy — it’s nice to have that option,” Haigh said.

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“I was adamant that I wasn’t going to have surgery. I was going to try everything else first,” Moore said. “I would only do it (surgery) as a last resort.”

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“I would tell anyone who has been in my situation whether it’s knees, shoulders, back or elbows ... call Dr. Jen — really,” she said. “It’s an investment in yourself and you are worth it.”

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Worley didn’t have to wait long to see results. After receiving the stem cell injections, she was pain free within a week.  

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My only regret is that I wish I had done it sooner,” she said.

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“There are so many things that I just don’t think we know about until we find a gem of a place like Jen’s (Heller Healthcare),” she said. “Just that guidance of going through that, makes the difference.”

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"It's a miracle.  It's a miracle. It brought me out of the darkness... I was there." stated Janis Schnellman, following her Stem Cell Therapy at Heller Healthcare.

We've all heard the saying, "It takes a village."   Well, Dr. Jennifer Heller has established her practice on that same approach, as her office embraces an integrative medical approach to treat and care for their patients.  

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Welcome to Heller Healthcare, the Stem Cell Clinic of Georgia, specializing in Regenerative and Functional Medicine, including Stem Cell Therapy, Hormone Harmonization, VIP Medicine, Physician Guided Weight Loss, Alternative Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy and more. 

Following Mr. Knapp's treatment - every time he walks into the office now, he smiles and is proud to mark “no pain today” on his therapy intake form. Bob Knapp is full of gratitude and enjoys sharing his story: “If I can help someone else and inspire them to get care, of course I’ll share my story.”

The clientele at Heller Healthcare are reporting that they are running one of the top regenerative wellness programs in the southeastern United States.   Heller's patients that have researched and looked around at other options one the fact that Heller offers total health options.   Patients come from all over the counter - Jacksonville, Atlanta, Arkansas, Indiana and more.