Adult Stem Cell Pioneer Passes Away

Last week, we at Theravitae received the sad news that David Foege, a member of Theravitae's Board of Directors passed away at the age of 63. David was not only a member of our board, he was one of our heart disease patients coming for Vescell stem cell therapy 3 times. In fact, that is the reason he was chosen to be a member of the board- he represented the patient's voice. He swore each batch of Adult Stem Cells helped improve his quality of life and wished for others to receive the same.

I had the pleasure of David's company on a few occasions and there was no doubt in my mind, he was a fighter who wasn't going to take "no" for an answer- which is the reason he kept returning to Bangkok from his home in Naples, Florida for more stem cell treatment. I imagine he kept fighting until the very end. He will be missed here at Theravitae as well as at Chao Phya Hospital with Dr. Suphachai where he was a popular patient.

His daughter, Dama, who is the creator of the World Yoga Mission recently emailed us this in honor of her father. Here it is in it's entirety-

In Memory of David John Foege
May 30, 1945 - April 18, 2009

What the following has to do with yoga?...
It has to do with my dad being one of my main sources of inspiration..& also my first teacher & my now my angelic guide...
and how he leaves a legacy that will impact and enrich many lives with stem cell therapies.

As a young child, my friends came over for a slumber party and my dad would speak softly in a guided meditations as we fell sleep. His soothing voice asked us to visualize healing light pouring in through our heads down to our feet. We giggeled then dozed off in moments. He was so gentle with us. A good guide and a good dad.

The last 30 + years, I have witnessed him make many choices with regards to his ailing health. Some I resonated with while other choices, not-at-all. Yet, he still crossed boundaries where most may have withered. Quite a few times, he signed his life away with moderate-to-high risk proceedures. He definatly set new standards and raised the bar with his go-get em drive to stay alive.

His choices and drive, fueled my mission statement to bring yoga science and technology into world communities large & small.
The proven time tested, preventative measures of ancient yoga science enriches lives & the proven adult stem cell therapies enrich lives also. Its an amazing marraige of old & new.

His influence on me has been profound and I can note with confidence that having lived so closely to a man that would simply not give up will unfurl layers of gusto inspirado in me. The days and years shall pass and I am sure to have a wellspring of Dave Foege determination.
I pray that I am able to be of great service for those that choose wellness and act as a forklift of inspiration for those that have fallen out of hope.
I intend to offer yogic technology that prevents and inspires folks to heal, to lighten up & purify from the inside/ out.
I intend to also support progressive medicine such as stem cell therapies since I saw first hand how it enhanced my dad's life over and over again as he skirted the inevitable. Please see foundation information below.
God Bless. Sat Nam, DamaDe'
____________________

Dear family and friends,
My dad, Dave passed away peacefully in the hospital
April 18, 2009 after a long and spirited battle with heart disease. He was raised in Pocahontas, Iowa and was the seventh child of Henry and Frieda Foege.

Dave’s intellect and acumen are indisputable. He was a success in his studies and in business. Dave retired to Marco Island, FL in 1990 after a successful career in Washington D.C. where he helped raise his three children. Dave showed his kids how to explore the world fearlessly and to be ever-inquisitive.

When I was in the fourth grade he received a kidney from his brother Ron. Their story was named, "A Second Chance at Life, A Brothers Love," by the local NBC news airing as a series.

His zest and pure determination to live are beyond words. With his flucuant health, our family has been in and out of hospitals with him since 1983. While sitting with him a few weeks ago receieving modern day dialysis, it dawned on me that without question he gives a whole new meaning to the word tenacious.

Throughout his years, he sauntered through many Final Jeopardys, and solved murder mysteries on Rockford Files, Hawaii 5-0 and CSI mere minutes into the storyline. In the early 80s, he loved to watch Road Runner while receiving dialysis.

What was most brilliant about Dave though was his absolute love for life and giddiness about the next adventure. Whether it was taking home the gold medal for a Belly Flop Contest
(in his 50s and competing against people half his age),
bodysurfing in Hawaii, whitewater rafting in Bali, trekking to six continents, or negotiating in fluent German entry into East Germany before The Wall came down (with wife and kids packed into an Opel), we can easily say that he lived life to its fullest and always welcomed a challenge.

Dave earned the name “Dave the Wave” from ship staff for his time spent cruising to far stretches of the globe.

In the last year of his life, he found the greatest pleasure in hugs and kisses from his granddaughter Emma Grace Foege. He is survived by his devoted angel and wife, Susan, his three children Dama, Jody, and Todd, his daughter-in-law, Lindsey, and granddaughter, Emma Grace.

Dave was, no doubt, a fighter.
He was a pioneer in the field of stem-cell research and is one of a handful of people in the world to undergo three cardiac stem-cell therapies. Both he and Susan were creative and relentless in their efforts to breach medical boundaries and live on the cutting-edge of progressive medicine.


My siblings and I have set up a fund in memory of my dad. In an effort to contribute to the cause he was so passionate about and to potentially affect the lives of many, we ask that donations be made to the “David J. Foege Fund for Non-Embryonic Stem Cell Research” at the Community Foundation of Collier County, FL. 239-649-5000.

Please view a short youtube video of my dad at a press conference in our home area, Washington D.C., at the U.S. Senate.
This followed a larger conference on the Senate lawn. He and four other stem-cell recipients were invited by Senator Brownback of Kansas in 2006 to stimulate federal funding for stem-cell research. He met with various senators, lobbyists, and reporters in support of adult (non-embryonic) stem-cell research for the benefit of diabetes, heart failure, Parkinson's, blindness, paralysis, and so many other ailments. There are dozens of articles online about my father and his mission. If you have interest in this topic, please Google his name.


Thank you for every intention, prayer, and positive thought sent our way over the past many years. Please know that they ALL helped and were gratefully received.
Let today and every day be a celebration, for that is certainly Dave’s legacy.

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
Today is a Gift
That is why it is called the Present


David J. Foege, may 100,000 angels be by your side. xo, Dama