Denise Williams who, at one stage, couldn’t easily climb stairs has seen her health transformed (Image: Courtesy Denise Williams)

For a woman who had once been too breathless to climb the stairs without having to lie down afterwards, 69-year-old Denise Williams appears in robust good health, bustling about as a church volunteer, caring for her disabled son, and planning long-haul holidays. It’s been 15 years since she received her life changing stem cell treatment.

Once unable to ascend stairs without needing a rest, 69-year-old Denise Williams now radiates vitality. Her days are filled with volunteering at her church, tending to her disabled son, and dreaming of future adventures abroad. All this is possible thanks to a transformative stem cell treatment she received 15 years ago.

This year marks her 70th birthday, and she plans to celebrate in the Caribbean! However, in 2010, life looked very different for the widow from Bolton. Her heart was operating at a mere 10 to 20% capacity. The previous year, she had checked into the hospital with what she thought was a chest infection, only to discover she was suffering from heart failure.

Initially, medication provided some stability, but once it was discontinued, her health rapidly deteriorated.

“I was in complete disbelief when I was told I had heart failure and needed a heart transplant,” Denise recalled. With her son Alex, who had been disabled in an accident, just 21 at the time, and an older son, Michael, she feared for their future without her. Their father had been tragically murdered in 1996, leaving Denise as the sole guardian of her sons.

Denise was devastated to learn that her compromised kidneys made her ineligible for a transplant, effectively sealing her fate. Then, an article in Cardiomyopathy Magazine introduced her to the Heart Cells Foundation, which was funding an innovative stem cell therapy trial for patients like her, whose conditions hadn’t improved despite optimal medication. With hope rekindled, Denise reached out and was quickly evaluated and admitted into the trial.

The treatment was simpler than she had imagined. After a few days of preparatory injections, her own stem cells were collected and then reintroduced to her heart during a single hospital visit. Remarkably, Denise didn’t even need to stay overnight. “The process was straightforward, yet the impact was profound,” she shared. “Out of 64 trial participants, only about 16 of us received the full treatment, and I was incredibly fortunate to be one of them. The improvement was nearly immediate. By my three-month check-up, the change was substantial.”

“I have no adverse effects on my life from my heart now. It’s such a simple process with such life-changing results. It used to take me an hour just to eat a meal. Now I have my life back. I am volunteering at a church as a cook, doing buffets for them and I can travel. I would never have lived this long without this treatment and now I get to celebrate my 70th in November in the sun.”