Alfred Arteaga - Let's Make This Man A Postmodern Miracle - 8/30 Benefit in Oakland Tonight

Poet, Xicano litcrit, Professor Alfred Arteaga

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On June 19th our father, Alfred Arteaga, underwent surgery so that stem cells could be injected into his heart. The operation was a success.

It has been a month now, and he should begin noticing the benefits of stem cell therapy any time now.


In 1999 our father suffered a massive heart attack and spent six weeks in a coma. He survived but spent a year in recovery, learning to walk again. He improved greatly and went back to full time teaching at Berkeley. Then in 2005 he suffered a second heart attact and has been in and out of the hospital. He continues to teach full time but needed treatment, a heart transplant. Because he did not want a transplant, we looked for alternative treatments.

We found an experimental program of stem cell treatment that is proving to be successful in cases like his. Doctors cultivated his own stem cells to infuse them into his heart, 28 million stem cells in this case. The procedure should strengthen his heart and improve its ejection fraction, the effectiveness of its pumping.

The most effective procedure of this kind was developed by a US cardiologist and is done by doctors in Thailand. This is because US hospitals are in trials now, as the procedure is not yet FDA approved. We did not feel we could wait years for the approval process to run its course.

There are links below for more information. To do the procedure we received much support and donations from many people. If you would like to donate, please follow the link, How to Give.

Thank you to everyone for your generosity and support.

Marisol, Xóchitl, and Mireya Arteaga

mailto:corazon@alfredarteaga.com
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[Update from LDC: Alfred is a survivor and combatiente del corazon. He is getting stronger and is in good spirits -- same incomparable humor and wit. He is teaching at Berkeley again, where he remains a popular teacher. His new book, Frozen Accident, is forthcoming with blurbs from Cherrie Moraga and JuanFelipe Herrera. I can't wait. You can visit with him at the benefit. Or visit Alfred's website to read excerpts, see more pics, videos and order books.]