Staffordshire man's heart 'heals itself' thanks to pioneering clinical trial

Michael Taylor from Lichfield first experienced heart problems around 14 years ago, with symptoms including his heart speeding up uncontrollably and a feeling that he was going to die.

He also suffered from shortness of breath and severe fatigue which at the time he put down to work.

Michael went to several doctors who told him he was suffering from panic attacks and stress, but he then had a bad episode where it felt like he’d been run over across his back.

The 66-year-old from Staffordshire remembers the intense pain, accompanied by a pulse rate of 240, and said: "I thought it was the end."

Following tests, Michael was diagnosed with a large heart and learnt that 30 per cent of his heart muscle was damaged. He was also told that people with his condition didn’t live very long.

Michael said: "When I found out, I just sat there and cried. I didn’t know how to accept the facts and wondered how I would carry on."

His devastated wife, Jane, searched for treatments on the internet and came across the stem cell trial funded by the Heart Cells Foundation, a charity which funds pioneering research to save the lives of people with heart failure.

The foundation also funds the development of a revolutionary treatment that uses a patient's own stem cells to repair the heart.

Michael met the criteria and was recruited onto the clinical trial, but didn’t yet know whether he would get the ‘real’ treatment, as in order to undertake research and get results from the revolutionary treatment, those who met the criteria were either treated with their own stem cells or were given a placebo.

A year after his surgery, Michael was informed he’d received the placebo. However, Michael never gave up hope and promised himself he would get on the trial again.

Remarkably, it was found that the treatment was a success and viable on a larger scale, and in 2017, Michael found out he would be part of the trial.

So shocked by the news, he joked: "My heart nearly mended itself!" He was able to have the treatment and thought: "This is incredible. Your own body repairing your body."

After the treatment, Michael’s life changed dramatically. He returned to work and found he had energy he didn't have before.

Now, he can exercise and enjoy time with family as well as travelling. He has recently enjoyed a summer holiday which Jane, which just a few years ago, he didn’t think would be possible.

Michael said: "None of this would have happened without the Heart Cells Foundation funding the treatments for myself and others. If anyone finds themselves in my position and thinking there is no hope, thanks to them, there is hope out there."

The Heart Cells Foundation aims to advance the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, providing hope and improved outcomes for individuals affected by these conditions.