Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

FILIPINOS have been so used to their country being poor and being referred to as the "sick man of Asia", that many think of their people as somehow "inferior" to those belonging to first-world countries. Stories of Filipinos being recognized as global leaders in various fields of excellence are few and far between. Thus, this story about Dr. Sam Bernal, a Filipino-American who has become a world-renowned cancer specialist and has been revolutionizing the field of medicine, would undoubtedly make Filipinos everywhere proud.

Dr. Samuel Bernal is a professor of medicine in UCLA and a former assistant professor at the Harvard Medical School. Bernal is also a medical doctor, an esteemed cancer researcher, a lawyer specializing in Regulatory Law and Medical Malpractice, a chemist, a molecular biologist, a PhD and MBA degree holder, a cancer director in several US hospitals, a leading figure in stem cell research, cancer therapy and bio-regenerative medicine, the founder and chairman of Strata Lucida and LA-Boston Bioresearch Fund, the author of several books on oncology and cancer research, a director of various business organizations and foundations, and the consultant adviser on Regenerative Medicine Program for The Medical City in the Philippines.

Dr. Sam Bernal is also a cancer survivor. He thought he was dying and he applied what he discovered about regenerative medicine on himself. Seeing and experiencing the astounding results, Dr. Bernal has become the major proponent of this innovative field in medicine. Regenerative medicine is a new branch of medicine in which cell and tissue based therapies are applied to the treatments of various diseases. It promises to revolutionize the treatment of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and other degenerative diseases. The field has been spurred in recent years by rapid advances in molecular and cell biology, providing insights into the remarkable self-healing properties of our human cells.

Now, people from around the world go to Dr. Sam Bernal and his team for much-needed help. The doctor has said that regenerative medicine can turn sick bodies into like brand-new ones. People experiencing ailments, which before have no known cure, can now look unto the future with a new sense of hope. With the latest discoveries in regenerative medicine, the life expectancy in dreaded conditions such as cancer is extended. Those who’ve undergone the procedure experience a rebirth of sorts; that, much like Lazarus, is given a "resurrection".

Regenerative Medicine involves the engineering of living cells, tissues and organs to preserve and enhance organ function and improve the quality of life. Proponents of the treatment like Dr. Bernal say it can be used to prevent disease and maintain wellness, as well as restore organ function lost or impaired due to disease, injury, or aging. It is a procedure that allows the patient to, quite literally, be his own healer.

The key lies in stem cells or "master cells," which have the ability to grow into any one of the body’s 200 cell types or sensitized to attack diseased cells, including malignant tumors. They can replicate themselves many times over and theoretically, do so without limit, so long as the person is alive. Therein lays the power of the treatment.