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Roland Matthews goes to China for Neural Stem Cell Treatment

  • Walking sticks for a lovely young champion

      2 March 2025

    Last Thursday (27 February 2025) was a good day, I gave a little rather than receive a little. A lovely young woman frequents the gym I go to. She has a rare disorder that makes it difficult to walk. She walks tentatively, frequently pausing and with scary instability. Physically, she is strong, cognitively she gets tired from the exertion. She was diagnosed about seven years ago and sent home with nothing in her recovery medicine bag, or even a bag.

    Fortunately, her condition is not progressive, and she can recover with the tools, targeted therapy, and her determination to rewire her neurons. My experience and knowledge pointed to walking sticks and gait training. On Friday, I gave her brand new, light, stylish walking sticks with Beach baskets. Next week, Tim (Exercise as Medicine) and I will assist her in beginning to walk confidently again. She will (she reminds me of someone I know). Thank you to my donors who helped make this possible.

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  • Blegh, more vitamins

      18 February 2025

    Hello, my fantastic donors.

    It is not quite over. I have chomped my vitamins, gleefully looking forward to stopping my daily ritual, only to get an email from the hospital.

    It asked what I had left. Was it checking me? Had I been a diligent patient? No, I needed to continue with the second half of the course. So, reluctantly I have run another Givealittle campaign.

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  • The New Year

      1 January 2025
    Main image

    Amongst them was mesenchymal stem cell treatment in Mexico. I had improved then, but not as defined as China.

    The results of my recent (#4) SF36 on my Quality of Life are:

    Physical functioning: 100 %

    Role limitations due to physical health: 100 %

    Role limitations due to emotional problems: 100 %

    Energy/fatigue: 80 %

    Emotional well-being: 100 %

    Social functioning: 75 %

    Pain: 90 %

    General health: 100 %

    Health change: 100%

    All in all, this has been a fantastic result for the $151,000 that everybody has contributed to my health betterment over the last 7 years, and I am not finished. I thank you all for your invaluable contributions in all forms.

    In parting, I came across one of my MRI scans. I can remember what I did to the back of my skull, but it probably hurt.

    I wish everybody a Happy New Year, and here is to the next one, which will be full of fun and games. I give you hugs kisses and my love, Roland.

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  • The old year

      1 January 2025

    The old Year

    This was a busy year, climaxing with neurological stem cell treatment in China in September. It has been 13 weeks since I departed China and commenced rehabilitation with renewed enthusiasm. While searching my computer for documents I came across the SF-36 quality of life survey I completed in 2017. It prompted me to repeat the survey. The 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) is an outcome measure instrument that is often used, well-researched, self-reported measure of health. It stems from a study called the Medical Outcomes Study for the objective measure of the quality of life. It comprises 36 questions that cover eight domains of health:

    1) Limitations in physical activities because of health problems.

    2) Limitations in social activities because of physical or emotional problems

    3) Limitations in usual role activities because of physical health problems

    4) Bodily pain

    5) General mental health (psychological distress and well-being)

    6) Limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems

    7) Vitality (energy and fatigue)

    8) General health perceptions

    My results out of 100 have been:

    1. February 2017, before haemopoietic stem cell treatment (HSCT), when I was sick as a dog, and trending terminal, (retrospective) my SF36 was 245.2

    2. April 2017, after my HSCT, travelling down the road of recovery was 438

    3. September 2024, before neural stem cell treatment (NSC) in China was 631.5

    4. October 2024, after NSC in China was 755

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  • #17 continued the end

      23 November 2024

    Building the strength in my remiss left leg to aid walking is challenging. My obliging right leg carries the weight. Irrespective, I am walking more with my Walker. Increasing muscular and neurological strength takes time. I suspect that nerves take longer.

    My balance is getting remarkably better. I can now bend and pull up my pants without falling over. My next trick is standing on my tippy toes without falling over.

    The generous contributions that made my trip possible have dramatically increased my comfort and quality of life and motivated me to continue on my never-ending road of recovery.

    The ending bonus was visiting Taichung Bike Week in Taiwan to see the latest bicycle technology for my bicycle scooter. That trip gave the project the necessary shot in the arm I needed to build my next swanky prototype. This game-changer scooter is very exciting. It will turn heads, whether you are in the supermarket, local park or beach, on a farm, up a mountain and one day in the surf.

    Thanks, everybody.

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  • #17 continues again

      23 November 2024

    The best effect is the reduction in my restless legs. Traditionally, between waking and 11:00 am, I would take an off-label Ropinirole medication for Parkinson's to stop me from jolting off my chair. And then continue every four to five hours until bed. Now, I take ½ a pill (down from 2 1/2) at about 7 pm and sleep better. Something is working. Hopefully, in a couple of months, it will be zero.

    The other best effect is quieting the tingles, twitches, itches, hard-to-describe sensations and general uncomfortable feelings of a flayed neurological system. I term it mild chronic pain, and nothing but lots of chemicals of the legal breeds would alleviate the sensations. The high was no good but the taxpayer did cover the cost so I didn't feel ripped off.

    I'll now have an intermission and eat my tongue-scalding Big Ben double cheese mince pie, heated at 200 deg. in an op-shop ceramic baking dish with fruit and veggies painted on the side (I bought it for $2:00 from the local Salvation Army shop because it reminded me of the orchard). One side of the pie will be lathered with Barkers Central Otago rich red plum sauce and the other side with Kaitaia chilli pepper sauce, mmm. The pie could not constrain the weight of its contents, and disintegrated in my hands, and was surprisingly good.

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  • #17 continued

      23 November 2024

    My carer Karl, is not an espresso drinker, or even an expresso connoisseur (yesterday I had possibly the best dry naked cappuccino at Brigitte's cafe in Merivale I have ever bought, and dare I say, better than my own. It was challenged by Theos in Waipu; unlike Theos, he did not roast his beans. We did discuss expressos and cupertinos - he refuses to serve them, that being the Canterburians who order those drinks).

    Karl inadvertently deposited the critical component of my machine into the red bin. Fortunately, he recovered the aforesaid implement of the trade and I had two short blacks of the finest C4 Crank, freshly roasted and ground By C4 and espressed by yours truly, to almost perfection (my Breville is not quite up to the standard to extract an exceptional brew, my screwdriver was blunt).

    It has been eight weeks since returning from China, and I am noticing the effects. This gives me confidence. I was injected with something more than $35,000 of saline.

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  • 2 Months have passes

      23 November 2024

    Failed coffee 17, Disaster averted

    I have been back for 8 weeks. Here is the lay of my land. It's flat.

    Today, I did my typical discrepancies count of three.

    1. Abstaining from alcohol. I ended the day with a fine single malt. But I added extra water (I poured, a bit, too much whisky into my glass). That was the week's allocation of booze in one sitting.

    2. Speeding at 40.8 kph through Hagley Park on my trike (safely of course). I assume that is not felicitous.

    3. I am heating a Big Ben double cheese and mince pie for dinner, going against all my healthy food advisors. I'll chase it with a salad and fresh garden herbs to counteract something.

    I have turned my binge chair to face my fantastic Christchurch suburban view, the car, the fence, the neighbour's brick house, and the view of the mountains, or more descriptively, a small block of clear and clean cloudless sky above the supposed Alps. I it was a blissful Canterbury Day.

    So now the coffee fail. I have not had any since returning from Asia 😁. Thus, the reason for my silence.

    There was almost a catastrophe this morning, which prompted me to share the experience. I could not find the metal filter that fits into the cup on my machine 😮😮😮. This would have been a failure of mega proportions. It would have happened at my home. Therefore, I cannot lay blame on the Chinese baristas, elevators or the horrid Starbucks ‘road scrapings’.

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  • Failed coffee #7

      23 September 2024

    Like all coffees, this was meticulously planned. Get a leave pass and head to the local Starbucks, on the southwest corner by the mall, not the northeast by the dumpling shop, and supervise the manufacture of a short black. The battery was fully charged, and I was ready.

    But, it was raining from a leftover monsoon, so the expedition was aborted, and I reheated yesterday's leftover. That is not the same as frying dinner spuds, and embellishing them with bacon and eggs and a slosh of Watties. Instead, I got a needle inserted in my back between vertebrae C4 and C5 and then went back to sleep (the doctor's instructions). The anaesthetic in the bum hurts more than the main course.

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  • Coffee Fail #6 continued

      18 September 2024

    But I am forever hopeful that after 11 days in China, I could get a decent coffee. So, with translated explanations, photographs and physical examples, Grace was on her way to the mall. Then Grace, smartly, returned with an App so we could order online.

    F*** yeah, I found the closest photo and picked pay. The Delivery was expected at 9:23. The coffee arrived at 9:22, with a smiling delivery boy handing me a large bag. China's packaging is excessive. Warning bells. The heavy, bag produced a streaming hot, bloody tall black, made using a single shot. Well, I was on the correct road, it was black. I needed to reduce the brew in a pot to get the concentration correct, however, Bruce was away, so that was not possible.

    The bright side is that I have my morning coffee 😁

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  • Coffee failure #6

      18 September 2024

    Coffee Failure #6

    I woke up this morning thinking of a tasty short black coffee. After yesterday's failure, I had a plan. I would escape from the hospital and get it myself. And Bruce is away so he is out of the equation. Being an intrepid traveller, I was not concerned about the Beijing suburban raf scooter jacking me. What could go wrong?

    I convinced the staff to give me a leave pass and headed for the door. Having gained freedom I briefly basked in the sun and sucked sweet air, then charged to the mall to discover that my battery was low. Rather than risking conveying my problem of an inevitable flat battery to locals, I sensibly returned to the hospital and patted myself on the back. Well done for a random good call.

    Grace and Lee offered to buy me a coffee using WePay. After extensive explanations with hand gestures, Yandex translations, photos and the Starbucks website, I was confident.

    What I did not realise, is that the Imperial Yanky dogs had infiltrated the Chinese coffee cultureless. Italia never made it past the western end of the Silk Road. The Yankees use their military VPN posing as Starbucks. It spread like Pinus Radiata with no natural herbal enemies, and the goats were feasting on tender natives. Starbucks was a weed amidst Chinese roses. Before long the battle was lost, a Starbucks on each corner of the T Square. The days of green tea were dwindling. Soon it would be short greens and double-trim greenaccinos 🤮

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  • Settled in at Wu

      12 September 2024
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    Nǐ hǎo China day four, 12th of September 2024

    I have finally got myself somewhat settled at Wu Medical Center, and joined by Luke. That is great, relieving some boredom, discussing the US election hopefuls and I think it is safe for me to say WE ARE ALL HOPEFUL FOR THE SAME RESULT.

    I met Dr Wu today for a meeting on the imminent treatment. He would have liked to see me earlier (I have been talking with the hospital for four years), but that does not concern me. Being cured after receiving HSCT, which you all supported me in getting, I have had no progression or any disease actively since, and am now stronger and in much better condition to receive the treatment.

    The hospital staff are (as expected) friendly and helpful, some speak good English, some speak some, and some speak none. I know two Chinese words and will double that each day. If I make an informed choice the food is tasty, if I don't the photos are not worth a 1,000, words if appraised by the Kiwi palette. This could be me, not the cook.

    The weather is windless, warm and humid.

    Over the preceding two days my body is being plied with pills for me to better receive the stem cells. Today, I get neural stem cells into my spine, followed by mesenchymal stem cells into my arm and exosome cells into an undisclosed location.

    The physio has pushed me hard (typical of a good physiotherapist) in the well fitted out gym.

    Hen hau

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  • A busy two weeks

      28 August 2024

    Dear Roland Matthews,

    The general treatment schedule during the 2 weeks is listed as below:

    Day 1: pick-up service, admission procedure, meeting with doctors, nurses, and rehabilitation therapists, regular hospitalization notice reading, a series of examination/test arrangement;

    Day 2-14: daily doctor’s ward-round (medical examination), daily nurse’s ward-round, IV medication treatment, oral medication treatment, comprehensive rehabilitation therapy, etc.

    Day 3: admission meeting with Dr Wu, summarizing admission examination/test results, explaining stem cell treatment mechanism and specific treatment schedule, giving post-stem-cell-injection notices.

    Day 4: the first stem cell treatment.

    Day 8: the second stem cell treatment.

    Day 11: the third stem cell treatment.

    Day 13: discharge meeting with Dr Wu, summarizing patient’s treatment response during the 2 weeks (like the improvements that patient has received already), giving instructions for patient to follow so that the acquired improvements can be maintained and further improvement can be expected.

    Day 14: discharge procedure, drop-off service.

    Keep in touch, dear, and please feel free to contact me for anything that we could do for you.

    Best regards,

    Crystal

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  • Food for a day

      9 August 2024

    Hi everybody,

    I just received an anonymous $12 donation, which is worth $36. Allowing $15 per day, it will easily feed me for a couple of days. Thank you, anonymous donor, you have made my day.

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  • Dis-charged

      20 July 2024

    I saw my Neurologist on Friday (she is a member of the Ministry of Health HSTC steering committee). She was impressed with my recovery and my return to normal for most measures (unfortunately, my stubborn hips and hamstring, butt muscles are being tenacious). So, she discharged me from her care, wished me well, and to keep in touch after I returned from China. I also had two surprise donations of $755 directly paid to me. My target has been reduced to only, $5,000 required. Hooray, I am getting closer to being underway. Thank you for your invaluable assistance.

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  • Flight books to China

      30 June 2024

    Hello everybody, yesterday was a good day. I booked my flight to China, departing on the 8th of September. The hospital is ready and waiting to shoot me up with a mixture of my blood and the blood of others 😲. I have my travel insurance, with extra covid vax coverage, and will get some shots before I enter the coronavirus hothouse.

    Thank you everybody for getting me this far along this uncertain journey. I have three goals. 1. improving my independence 2. reducing my reliance on others, 3. recovering parts of my lost activites. Although I won't be running a marathon, I am optimistic this will happen.

    Cheers Roland

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    • 01/07/2024 by pamela

      That is wonderful Roland. Good luck and I admire your confidence and optimism.

  • Heading to China

      27 May 2024

    Hello everybody, the date has been set for my trip to China. The hospital is waiting. It is at the end of September and beginning of October. I can't wait, it's been five years in the wings.

    Thank you for your contribution to get me underway. I haven't reached my goal yet, I am winging it from here, so please share my campaign. And remind people that every dollar donated is worth $3 getting me to China. Thanks.

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  • Lets spread the word of a cure

      5 May 2024

    I often lay in bed thinking of people with MS that can be cured. You will read in my book, the research by three global authorities (from England, Russia and the USA), who collectively have over 80 years of experience in HSCT for MS. In 2023 (and earlier) they said HSCT is (trending) a cure. It just hasn't been around long enough to be definitive.

    Partially effective disease modifying therapies for MS cost the New Zealand taxpayer on average $1,000,000 per person over their life. These can't cure the disease, and importantly, won’t improve people’s quality of life. My treatment cost $95,000 with no disease-modifying therapies required.

    I am cured. Now, 7 years after having HSCT for advanced SPMS, I am starting a business designing adaptable travel scooters for people with mobility difficulties, like me. I will soon be a taxpayer, not a tax benefactor. I can’t wait.

    It's more than the money. I ask you to spread the word and forward my givealittle to China campaign to your FB friends. By spreading their word, you may save a life. Enter your email address with your donation for $1 and you will receive my posts on the success of the treatment. And, every dollar is worth $3 getting me to China. So givealittle, is giveallot. Join me and spread the word of The Cure for MS.

    https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/roland-matthews-goes-to-china-for-neural-stem-cell

    Thanks,

    Roland.

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  • Good news

      7 March 2024

    Hello everybody, thank you to my donors for your generous contributions towards my trip for treatment in China. My campaign is now gaining momentum. I have great news. My uncle will do his best to fill the gap between donations and treatment costs. He will donate $2 for every dollar I receive through Givealittle. Accordingly, a total of $13333 will see me on a plane to China. Every dollar counts, so please spread the word about my campaign. Thanks, Roland.

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  • My campaign is now gaining momentum

      5 March 2024

    My campaign is now underway and gaining momentum. Thank you for the donations, with a special shout-out to the Cooney family. It was about 1980 when I started 'charging' about the orchard with Eamon riding bravely on the back of my 10 geared Kawaski 100 trail bike. Janine, Emily, Seumus, and Eamon, I look forward to seeing you all in Auckland on my return from China. I won't be 'Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound' but I will be closer. Your unwavering support also helped me get to Moscow in 2017.

    Please share my campaign.

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