Angela Sherzer is one of a kind. The St. Simons Island resident is a flutist with the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, as well as a licensed pilot. And for extra kicks, she’s a cat show judge.

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“I do a lot of unusual things,” she conceded with a laugh.

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While her interests are clearly broad and varied, one commonality they share — Sherzer has to be able to use her hands. For many years, that proved to be no problem. She was able to flourish and grow as she pursued her passions.

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Sherzer began to notice symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially when she picked up her instrument.

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“My fingers would start going numb when I was playing,” Sherzer recalled.

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But recently, arthritis in her hands flared up. Sherzer’s knuckles begin to swell and eventually grew so large that she could no longer see them. The daily pain and stiffness began to not only make it difficult for her to enjoy the things she loved to do, but also interfered with normal daily activities. The situation was further complicated because her body was resistant to the typical medications often prescribed for arthritis.

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“I just can’t tolerate them. They just tore up my stomach. So, I thought, you know, let’s talk to Dr. Jen and see what she says about any possible treatments for the arthritis,” she said.

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“When we started Angela’s care plan about a year and a half ago, we wanted to go easy and conservative, so we started with chiropractic care and maintenance” Heller said. “It wasn’t until recently that we decided that we got as far as we could, and it was time to be a bit more aggressive.”

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It turns out, Heller’s team did have a recommendation — and felt Sherzer was a great candidate for regenerative medicine (i.e. stem cell therapy). And while Sherzer was a bit skeptical at first, she decided it was worth trying.

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She has good reason to be. The new cells will double every 28 hours, and sustain at that rate for about 4 months. After that the original cells start to die off, but further healing and regeneration typically occurs for up to 18 months.

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And while there will likely be continued improvement, Sherzer is already back to living her best life.

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“I’m back to playing. My next concert with the orchestra is in February,” she said. “ ... and on day 3 post stem cells I could even put on my necklaces again.”

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While she sees countless similar results, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience for Heller.

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“As a flutist myself, I knew we had to get her back playing,” she said. “I’m just so proud of her.”​

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When living life in pain, one is desperately searching for answers. Thankfully, Dr. Jennifer Heller has them.

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The owner of Heller Healthcare-Heller Chiropractic and Golden Isles Regenerative Medicine receives countless questions from those looking for a path out of their suffering. And it’s fascinating to hear Heller discuss available options and the latest technologies.

We sat down with Dr. Heller to hear about the most common questions she receives and the direction she takes when all other methods have failed.

Check back soon for more information... 

Helen Morgan has certainly faced her fair share of challenges. From cooking for and raising her siblings from a young age, to physically caring for others as an aging adult, the Blackshear resident has felt this physical stress and endured chronic arthritis pain in her knees for years. Unfortunately, medication was not a viable option, as Morgan’s body rejects all forms.

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"I am a problem child,” she said with a laugh. "My body rejects medicine. I went to the Medical College in Augusta and they diagnosed me with an idiosyncratic reaction to drugs."

That basically meant that any traditional treatment was off the table. Even so, Morgan tried to find answers for her pain. She has tried many different types of treatments, from physical therapy to gel injections over the years, but the results did not only not help, but some even caused her body to adversely react.

“I have been having problems with my knees for years probably 12 years. I had bone-on-bone in my left knee first then it happened to my right knee. That’s when I said something’s got to give because I could hardly walk to the bathroom,” she said.

But she was not deterred. Morgan continued her quest for relief while holding onto hope for the future. What she was most concerned about was not being able to take care of herself as she ages.

“I’m 71 years young and I’ve always been a caretaker. I took care of two husbands and my mother. I don’t want anyone to have to take care of me,” she said.

After taking time to do some research, Morgan found some inspiring information in a book her daughter gave her.

"It was about regenerative medicine," she recalled. "I read it and started thinking, 'this is what I need to do.' But then I thought, 'there's no one near me that offers that.'"

Almost as soon as the thought came to her mind, Morgan discovered there was in fact someone who could help her.

"It was crazy ... I pulled up my Facebook page and a story about Dr. Jen popped up," she said with a laugh.

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That would-be Dr. Jen Heller of Heller Healthcare in Brunswick. And while it was a little over an hour's drive, the practice was offering precisely the treatment that Morgan was seeking.

Heller Healthcare has partnered with Golden Isles Functional Medicine to form an integrative practice providing a number of holistic options which combat a wide-array of conditions. Heller Healthcare offers chiropractic care and medical massage, while Golden Isles Functional Medicine offers an anti-arthritis program, degenerative joint care treatment, holistic pain management options, hormone optimization, nutritional planning and specializes in regenerative medicine.  Together they develop and coordinate care plans for their patients to help each individual meet their health goals and get back to living their best life. 

Morgan was hopeful that this treatment would help her and be something that her body would tolerate. She decided that it was worth the trip to sit down with Heller for a free consultation.

“I figured it was worth it just to talk to her. So, I met Dr. Jen and told her about everything I’d been going through,” Morgan said. “She did

the x-rays and we talked about the options. I’d already done the research, so I knew about it. And I really trusted her because she looked me in the eye when we were talking."

The two decided that Morgan was an ideal candidate for regenerative therapy. The process, after all, harnesses the body’s own power of healing to create new cells and tissue. That is vastly different from the previous medication-based care she had received and was rejected by her body.

Morgan received the regenerative injections a little over eight weeks ago. Over that time, she’s started to notice some positive changes, especially centered around her mobility. Morgan has been able to move around easier and with less pain. And she knows that her condition will continue to improve as the cells continue to regenerate over the next 18 months.

“She’s done such a great job. I’m really proud of her,” Dr. Jen Heller said with a smile. “I’ve been really impressed by her function change. Being able to go up and down the stairs when she couldn’t before was such a sweet moment to hear.”

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One of the goals that Morgan and Heller reached for was Morgan to be able to travel to her beloved cabin in Blairsville, Georgia. 

“Traveling is one thing, but being able to walk around on uneven surfaces and enjoy a walk through the woods to see her deer was a huge dream to accomplish in just 6 weeks” said Heller. 

“Helping people to overcome pain is so magical, but to help someone be able to physically do what they love again is the dream come true” said Heller. 

“I had been really busy around here lately. I did all the landscaping, re-doing the flower beds. I woke up one day and I was really stiff. I just thought that I’d just take it easy and it would go away,” Markeli said.

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But it did not. In fact, it got much worse.

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“The next day, I woke up and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get myself dressed. I was very desperate,” she recalled. “I was in tears.”

That’s when Markeli reached for the card of massage therapist, Susanna Hughes, who works with Dr. Jen Heller, at Heller Healthcare in Brunswick.

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The receptionist sensed the urgency of the situation and got Markeli in right away. And when she arrived, the staff realized that it was indeed dire.

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“She was shaking in pain. It was a 10/10 everything for her,” Dr. Jen Heller recalled. “She was cold and pale. She was sweating.”

Markeli had x-rays taken and what they revealed was shocking, even for a highly experienced chiropractor like Heller.

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“I thought holy cow. When people wake up with a ‘stiff neck’ they might have a 5 degree tilt… Judith’s was 40 degrees. It’s a big deal to have this without a trauma. This was clearly effecting her nervous system. It was hard to even get the x-ray,” Heller said. “Her cervical vertebrae were so out of alignment. In the neck, this is a really significant shift. Her discs were bulging. There was no motion. She was just locked down.”

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Heller quickly formulated a plan that would utilize gentle adjustments to ease Markeli’s spine back into its proper place.

“Dr. Jen was really gentle. She would do an adjustment and then she’d wait,” Markeli said. “I really love how she would hold my head after the adjustment. It was really supportive and I appreciate her being really cautious.”

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“I had to give her body time to adjust. I would wait five minutes in between adjustments. It took a long time but that’s what we had to do,” Heller said.

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Slowly, Markeli started to find relief and movement. She was able to turn her head and over the course of several weeks, she started to become her active self again.

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“After two weeks, I could function again,” Markeli recalled.

The experience left Markeli incredibly grateful for the art of chiropractic care, and especially Heller’s particular approach.

“I was so thankful. She really listened to me. I’ve been to many chiropractors over the years. There are a lot of people who will just crack your back and hope for the best. But Dr. Jen really was cautious, which I appreciated,” she said.

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Heller is well known locally for her skills and offering this kind of personalized care. In addition to her chiropractic expertise, her office offers massage therapy as well as holistic approaches to healing. They have integrated their practice with Golden Isles Functional Medicine, who offer both functional and regenerative medicine, hormone replacement therapy, nutrition guidance and more. Together they have helped countless patients find a life free from pain.

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And, regardless of the method, Markeli feels that Heller’s compassionate demeanor and sincere desire to help set the tone for healing.

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“Her ability to listen and to know how to approach what is happening with each patient is really a great gift,” Markeli said with a smile.

Kim Willson spent more than 25 years working in law enforcement. Throughout that time, the career proved professionally fulfilling but also physically difficult. 

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"I was really hard on my body in my 20s and 30s. Then, I was working by myself a lot, I had to move heavy boxes. I also traveled a lot.” Willson recalled.     

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Then one day she recalled a moment that she thought would change her independent and active lifestyle forever.  “All of a sudden, I was walking across base one day, and I basically blew out a couple of my lower (back) discs," she said. "It pinched my sciatic nerve and so my sciatica was on fire. I literally fell to my knees." 

It was the beginning of an incredibly difficult period for Willson. She spent months unable to walk, and later only able to walk with the aid of a cane. The situation left her in a state of disbelief. 

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"I'd been seeing a chiropractor for years but it wasn't working for what I needed. I couldn't even walk really. And I was just thinking this can't go on. This isn't the way I'm supposed to live," she said.

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"I was like 'I'm under 50, this shouldn't be happening,'" she said. 

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But it was around that time that Willson read a News article that detailed Heller Healthcare's use of regenerative medicine, and decided to attend one of their seminars and learn more. 

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After gathering the facts, Willson decided to receive the Regenerative Medicine therapy. Within a matter of weeks, she could tell a huge difference in her quality of life. 

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Willson received her regenerative therapy in November, 2019.  "It didn't take long (to see an improvement). That's what blew my mind. Initially I still had that fire in my back and there was still a tear in my disc.  But, within a few weeks, the pain was subsiding, the sharpness was subsiding. I couldn't believe it," she said. "Those first three months were a miracle." 

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She also discovered that now her body is able to bounce back from activity quickly. 

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"Recovery is amazing. If I lift something too heavy now, I'm ready to go again the next day," she said. "Recovery is key."

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"Going from not being able to walk to being able to recover overnight has been a God-send," Willson said.

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Angie Rustin has always enjoyed an active lifestyle. A running enthusiast, she's completed multiple half marathons and loves being surrounded by nature. She spends her life working hard and playing hard.

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But, this past fall, one such outing took a painful and unexpected turn. 

"I had gone for a walk, nothing crazy, just about two miles, and afterward. I was stretching ... I heard and felt this internal pop in my low back. It was like a pop ... but it didn't really hurt. I was just like, 'hmmm that was weird,'" she recalled. 

Over the next few days, however, was a different story. 

"I knew something was wrong. It started to hurt and it got progressively worse until I could barely walk," Rustin said. 

As the pain grew, she sought the help of her longtime chiropractor, Dr. Jennifer Heller.  When Rustin walked through the doors, Heller could see that her patient was in a lot of pain.

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"I missed a lot of work. I couldn't even sit. I would lay on my side in my bed. I had to have help even rolling over," she said. 

It turned out that Rustin had ruptured a disc, a gel-like cushion in between the vertebras of her spine. There was little hope for relief beyond surgery. And that was something that she did not want to do.

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So instead, Rustin and the Heller team started talking about the option of Regenerative Medicine.  Heller Healthcare, located at 208 Scranton Connector, in Brunswick, has seen enormous success treating patients with this cutting-edge therapy. 

As a longtime athlete, Rustin was familiar with Regenerative Medicine, but thought it was mainly used to treat the injuries of professional athletes, and had never considered it for herself.  

After exploring the options with Heller’s team, Rustin decided Regenerative Medicine was the way to go and signed on for the treatment.

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"I would say that within four or five days I could tell a big difference," Rustin recalled. "I was thinking ... 'is my brain playing tricks on me?' But it wasn't long before I wasn't even taking Tylenol at night." 

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And over time, her condition continued to improve. It's been a rewarding and uplifting journey for both Rustin and the Heller team. It's also one that Rustin hopes others will consider. 

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"From my experience, I would encourage people to keep an open mind and be willing to look into it. I would do it again ... and I probably will," she said. 

Kay Meeks has always been amazed by the healing power of the human body. And, as a registered nurse, it was something that she turned into a long career. 

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But after retiring, she wanted to continue to learn. That's when she started to explore non-traditional treatments like regenerative medicine. "For many years after I retired, I moved away from traditional medicine and toward alternative," she said.

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The benefits of medications, surgery, and physical therapy have gotten her only so far with her increased pain, stiffness and what she loves to do best, which included being outdoors and doing work in the yard.  

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“I’m really impressed by Kay”, Dr. Heller said. “As a RN she has seen so many cases of severe arthritis in the shoulders and knees, degenerative disc disease and stenosis of the spine, and everything in between. And now that she is suffering with it herself, she has chosen a different route than what is typically offered”.

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"When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune disease (erythromelalgia), regenerative medicine was just becoming common knowledge," she said. 

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“With Kay’s severe arthritis in her neck, shoulder, and low back, her added health problems increased her burning and stinging in her hands and feet. Basically, she needed help all over”, Heller said.

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"I did my low back, my neck, both hands and my shoulder. I'm about nine weeks out," she said. "My massage therapist and chiropractor in Statesboro are amazed by the muscle tone and movement in my joints. They can tell a big difference structurally. I've gotten a lot stronger," she said. 

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Kyndra Thomas, nurse practitioner at Heller Healthcare, says that she, Dr. Heller and the rest of their team have coordinated with Meeks' provider in Statesboro to continue to offer the best care possible.   "We collaborated with her doctor who is treating her for erythromelalgia. We also share our treatment plan with her chiropractor in Statesboro," Thomas said. “Working with patients that are not local has been more common in the past year”, she said.

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For Meeks, she's pleased with her path and is excited to see the results that come over the next year as the stem cells continue to heal and change the way her body functions.  

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An accident didn't stop Mike Fly from living life.... but after years  — working and engaging in favored past times like hunting. Eventually though, it all starting to catch up with him. After visiting a doctor, he was told that his right shoulder has lost all of its cartilage.

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“It was just bone-on-bone,” he said. “My left shoulder wasn’t as bad but it wasn’t good either.”

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Not only was he dealing with the pain, Fly was also enduring sleepless nights, unable to find comfort. And not being able to get adequate rest spilled over to numerous areas in his life.

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“My wife, Mary, told me I was irritable. And I was ... I was tired,” he said.

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Fly had some orthoscopic work done in the past but the pain always returned. He tried to find relief by enduring painful steroid injections. But he knew that was not a long-term solution.

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“I knew that wasn’t probably a good for you to keep doing. It was more like having an oil job but it wasn’t going to last. I would have to keep going back,” he said.

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Before long, his doctor suggested a full shoulder replacement. However, after doing his due diligence, Fly decided that surgery was something he just didn’t want to do. So, he started exploring other options.

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During a conversation with a friend, Darrell Sammons, he heard about regenerative medicine treatments being offered by Heller Healthcare.

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Sammons, a retired pharmacist, had been in a similar position as Fly, dealing with chronic pain in his lower back, shoulders, hip and leg, and he too wanted to avoid surgery. Sammons received regenerative therapy at Heller to treat his chronic pain, and it was a game changer.

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“I had it done in June. After two weeks, I felt a little better. I came back to Dr. Jen and she suggested that we do the whole program — incorporating chiropractic and massage to help… which made a lot of sense,” Fly said.

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Fly was committed and did what Heller prescribed. And, as a result, he’s found a life that’s mostly pain-free already.

Rebecca Koets has always been athletic. The Jacksonville resident spent her life on the softball diamond and in the gym, working hard to perfect her skills.  Of course, over the years, wear and tear began to take a toll.

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“All my joints were basically overused but I really started to have more and more knee pain. I wasn’t able to get out and do as much fitness stuff as I wanted. And, after playing volleyball with friends one day, I couldn’t move for a week,” she recalled.

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“The straw that really broke the camel’s back was that I wasn’t able to run when I wanted to ... and I also couldn’t get on the floor to play with my nieces and nephews.”

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The pain and joint stiffness even prevented Koets from walking down stairs. With each step, she’d simply hope for the best, dropping one foot to the next step in a dangerous descent.

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“I would just gracefully fall. I knew I had to do something. My dad has bad knees and can hardly move and my grandfather actually died from a blood clot during knee surgery so I knew what was what was ahead for me if I didn’t do something.”

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“At first, I was telling myself that I was too young to do this. But I started thinking, ‘if I don’t do it now, I may never get back to where I want to be,’” she said.

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“I was a little worried about getting the injections ... and I got nervous when I saw the needle,” she said with a laugh. “But they numbed the area beforehand and I seriously didn’t feel anything. It was the weirdest thing. I had no pain ... so I was freaking out for no reason at all.”

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Her results proved even more impressive. In a matter of days, the fluid in her swollen knees receded, returning them to their normal size.

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Koets only regret is that she didn’t seek treatment sooner. And she strongly encourages those who may be in a similar situation not to wait before getting help..

Seated in the cozy waiting area of Heller Healthcare in Brunswick, a group of patients chatted away excitedly. From the outside, it appeared they were old friends but in reality, they had never met before.

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It was quickly clear that Clay Davis, Darrell Sammons and Rachel Moore were connected in a meaningful way. Each of them had terrible pain from arthritis, bone on bone knees, or degenerative discs in the back or neck. Each of them were patients of Dr. Jen Heller. Most importantly, each of them have had the most amazing results and were passionate about sharing the story of their path to healing.

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While their issues were different, they all received Regenerative Medicine therapy under Nurse Practitioner

Kyndra Thomas’ direction, and chiropractic care under Dr. Heller’s watchful eye. And because of that, there’s a sense of camaraderie and shared gratitude among the group.

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“If I hadn’t experienced this, I would think people were exaggerating. I just never could have imagined that I would feel this good,” Davis said to Sammons.   “... and at this age,” Sammons (now age 73) replied with a laugh.

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Like Sammons and Davis, Moore has also found a new lease on life thanks to Regenerative Medicine. She had debilitating pain in her knees — with one swelling to twice its normal size. Moore even found walking nearly impossible.

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Moore received her Regenerative Medicine treatment in February, 2019 and results were incredible. Moore continues to relish her new life without the specter of constant pain.

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“It’s amazing ... I don’t even think about my knees. They’ve been rejuvenated,” Moore said.

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For all three patients, the success of the treatment has been nothing short of miraculous. But what’s made as great an impact is the way they’ve been treated in Heller’s office.

Israeli innovator and designer Dror Benshetrit once said, “Thinking outside the box means crossing disciplines and pulling in expertise and perspective from outside of the standard boundaries.”

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That’s a concept that Dr. Jennifer Heller believes in wholeheartedly and has built for the Golden Isles. Multidiscipline healthcare is something that has always been at the forefront of her practice, Heller Healthcare in Brunswick.

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Dr. Heller has forged an innovative path, creating individualized programs that incorporate traditional medicine, chiropractic care, massage therapy, functional and regenerative medicine, within her offices practice. Everything from hormone replacement therapy to weight loss; from regenerating bone on bone knees and combating low back disc disease to chiropractic care; her patients have reaped the benefits of Heller Healthcare’s approach with countless men and women finding a new life free from chronic pain.

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Through her extensive training and research, Heller has been able to engage with others in the field who are also committed to offering patients a new lease on life. Her team includes not just her as the chiropractor, but Dr. Kalpesh Mistery, MD, nurse practitioner Kyndra Thomas, and regenerative medicine specialist, Dr. Rajen Naidoo, MD.

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“I always believe in working as a team. No one person. There’s no one person who has all the answers. When we work together, we are at our strongest,” Dr. Naidoo said.

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Bush knew that his lack of mobility was an ongoing battle and started to do his research on options to combat issues at hand. His research lead him to explore stem cell therapy, which in turn led him to the office of Heller Healthcare, located in Brunswick.

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Bush was drawn to Heller Healthcare’s integrative approach to regenerative medicine that combines a custom plan for each patient. In addition to chiropractic care, they offer various approaches to treating a wide-array of conditions such an anti-arthritis program, food allergy testing, medical massage, holistic pain management options, hormone optimization and even nutritional planning.

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Since receiving his treatment at the beginning of the year, Bush has seen a big difference. He no longer has pain or stiffness and is able to maneuver easily.

Lori Stradtman’s powder blue mask says it all — B-L-E-S-S-E-D. And that’s precisely how she feels, especially considering the fact that a few months back she could barely walk due to severe pain. 

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Stradtman received her regenerative medicine treatment from Heller’s nurse practitioner, Kyndra Thomas, in June and saw a difference almost immediately.

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“It was truly just three days and I felt better. And now it’s been a few weeks and I’m almost pain-free. I would say it’s 90 percent better,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it and Dr. Heller says it should keep getting better.”

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Now, Stradtman is back to her active lifestyle — keeping up with paperwork at the office and embracing the ability to do even the basic tasks at home.

"I was (previously) told that I might have to have multiple surgeries and I didn't want that" Harrell stated.  

Harrell started looking for answers.   It came - as so many have for him - at church.  One of his congregants shared some information about Heller Healthcare and their stem cell therapy program with Harrell - and his interest was piqued.  

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Harrell met with Heller Healthcare and found out he was a good candidate for stem cell therapy.     He received his stem cell therapy in mid-April, treating his upper to mid-back.   He was amazed at just how quickly he felt the results, and in just a few days, he was sure he had made the right decision.   

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"I don't even take Tylenol now.   I don't need any medicine," he said.  "For me, it's been a miracle and I'm thankful to the good Lord for it." 

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When Suzanna Hughes met Phillip Walker, there was an immediate connection. After getting to know one another, the two learned they shared a passion – golfing – and ventured to the course for their first date. But after spending time together on the links, the two also realized they had something else in common – chronic pain.

Both Hughes and Walker had enjoyed athletic, active lifestyles in their youth. And, overtime, the wear and tear seemed to catch up with them.

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Both explored chiropractic care as a way of alleviating their pain. Hughes, in fact, was a patient of Dr. Jennifer Heller’s prior to joining her staff.

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“That’s actually how it started ... I was a patient, then applied for a job,” the licensed massage therapist said.

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Over their individual courses of treatment, the two found relief, however, Hughes knew there were more options available.

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Being a massage therapist at Heller Healthcare, as well as a hands-on part of their patient treatment plans, Hughes has seen firsthand the amazing life changing results their patients have had with their stem cell therapy.

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Each day, after providing her patients with their massage therapy, helping them relieve their pain, Hughes would spend hours icing her hands to recover herself. She knew her career literally relies on her hands and she needed to stop putting it off and take action. She shared her thoughts with Walker, and suggested he join her. 

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Post Treatment - 

“It was almost immediate. I noticed that I just wasn’t thinking about my back pain. It was something that had just always been there before,” Walker said.

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“I think that — and I’ve seen this with my patients — when you’re in pain, you’re not really yourself. You can’t be fully present. I think that was how it was for me … but after the treatment, I was able to really focus on other things,” Hughes said.

The two had the treatment at the end of 2019. Over the following months, their lives improved immeasurably and their pain is a thing of the past. Now, they are quick to grab their clubs and hit the golf course without worrying about the repercussions of playing 18 holes.

“It used to be that I would have to take three days off after playing golf. It’s completely different now. We’re lucky that we both remember what it was like before and can remind one another of how far we’ve come,” Walker said, smiling at his better half.

Clay Davis has led an active life. The Brunswick resident has always challenged himself, whether it’s competing in athletics in college or participating in triathlons or 5K’s as an adult. That extends to his professional life as well — he works as a builder, climbing up and down ladders all day long.

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But, over time, his body started to show signs of wear, especially his lower back.   

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“About five years ago ... I have two daughters and they were 4 and 6 at the time. I couldn’t pick them up,” he said, shaking his head. “And every morning when I would wake up, I would put my feet on the floor and my feet would hurt. It was a painful experience just walking to the bathroom every morning.”

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Davis, who’s a pretty tough cookie, resigned himself to the fact that this was his new normal, chalking it up to aging.

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That was until Dr. Jennifer Heller came into the picture and introduced Davis to the world of Regenerative Medicine.

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Post Treatment - 

“Over the course of this time, I am now doing everything that I was doing 10 years ago. I’m now back running and lifting. My daughters are 5 years older than they were, but now we’re at the pool playing ... I can be physically active and doing the things that I just had given up on doing again,” he said. “To me, that’s PRICELESS. You can’t put a price on what that’s added back to my life.”

Darrell Sammons had been dealing with pain for years — in his lower back, right hip and leg. The pain started more than 10 years ago, and as time passed, it only worsened.

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“In the last five years, I have not had a pain free day. I had difficulty sleeping because of the shoulder pain,” he added “I could only sleep on one side.”

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As a pharmacist, he knew the dangers of taking opioids as pain killers and opted for anti-inflammatories instead, and he managed as best he could.

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Sammons received stem cell therapy at Heller Healthcare just five short weeks ago and it has already changed his life.

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Overall, his pain is much better — by two-thirds, he estimates. And he’s enjoying an entirely new lease on life.

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“Today, is the end of week five and my overall pain level has decreased. I continue to improve each week. It is miraculous,” Sammons stated. “Thank God for answered prayers and for putting Dr. Heller in my path. She and her staff are so kind and show love and concern to all of their patients.”

“I couldn’t believe it. Within a few weeks, I was basically pain-free. When I came to my first check up after ... I got teary-eyed,” she said with a smile.

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Now, three months later, she’s back to her three day a week workout routine, as well as showcasing properties at Coastal Georgia Real Estate.

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“I was really happy with her results. She underwent such a dramatic change from not being able to do a lot of things to getting back to her active life,” Heller said. “It was just amazing to see that light come back on.”

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Williams can’t say enough about her experience at Heller’s practices, and especially about her personal results and regaining her ability to do the things she loves. It has truly been a life changing experience for her. 

“I started having pains in my right hip and lower back that would shoot all the way down to my toes. It got to where I couldn’t walk across the room without crying,” Middeke said, shaking her head.

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Middeke sought out help and received treatment at Heller Healthcare.  

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For the following weeks after receiving treatments, her condition continuously improved, and she continues to see improvements each day.

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“I didn’t even feel the injections. Of course, my pain level was so bad at the time, they could probably have cut my head off and I wouldn’t have felt it ... it was at like a 20,” she said with a laugh. “Now, it’s at a 3. I feel 90 percent better. And we’re just continuing with the adjustments and it gets better and better.”

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The treatment has changed Middeke’s life entirely. She’s been able to embrace life, something that she was afraid she would never be able to do.

“The vision of having sick care, wellness care, and functional medicine all together, working together is what I’ve always wanted for me and my family. We’ve built that and now divided things up so it’s more clear. We have our sick care and primary care which is Brunswick Urgent Care, we have chiropractic and massage under Heller Chiropractic, and then we have our regenerative and functional medicine under Golden Isles Functional Medicine. Three different types of healthcare, all next to each other, all communicating and working together. How awesome is it for your wellness doctor and your medical doctor to work side by side under one roof to meet any need? That was the need — see a need, fill a need, right?” she said with a laugh.

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“People in our community now have one place to go, whether they’re sick or they are well, or they want alternative medicine or traditional medicine.”

“I tried a lot of different things. Pain management, chiropractors, physical therapy — none of it worked. Every year it was getting worse. Finally, in 2018, my pain management doctor finally talked me into the epidural steroid. The insurance company might as well have burned that money because it didn’t do anything.” Geraldine stated.

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Then, a friend suggested that Geraldine give Heller Healthcare and Brunswick Urgent Care a try.  Geraldine took her friend’s advice and scheduled an appointment. Dr. Jen Heller vividly remembers the early days of Geraldine’s treatment.

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Geraldine continues to see Heller Healthcare for chiropractic and other supportive modalities. And she cannot say enough about the care Heller Healthcare’s staff has provided.

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“The biggest difference I have seen in Geraldine is her attitude and love for life. I met her when she wasn’t her best, and now I see smiles, jokes, and an attitude like I’ve never seen before” laughs Heller.

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“You feel like you’re home. They listen and when you’re here, they’re on your time not the other way around. I would recommend that anyone come here,” Geraldine said.

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“So it came from all those years of lifting stuff. And one morning I woke up in excruciating pain. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t sit. I couldn’t lay in the bed. It was all painful.” Ponsell stated.

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Following his treatment Ponsell remarked, “By the end of the first day though, I was feeling better. Day two was better, and on day three I was able to drive up to Athens to move my daughter into her sorority house.” 

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It’s just been a few weeks since this treatment and he is already back in the gym and enjoying the outdoors.  For Ponsell, it truly has been a lifesaver.

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“I’ve told everybody I can to get in here. People have been watching how my recovery has gone and are impressed. It’s been great, I’m going fishing tomorrow,” he said with a smile.

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“I have no back pain now. I used to have low back pain that ran down my legs. I can bend over and touch my toes now,” Harry said. “And I’m 75. You either spend the money or you live in pain ... that was easy for us.”

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“It’s been incredible. I don’t think I’ve seen results as fast as he has but I have seen results,” Millie said. “I did have a bit of a set-back with a fall (since my stem cell injections) but then Dr. Jen gave me chiropractic treatment and massage. Now, I am back to where I was.”

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Feeling like she was no longer in control of her body was unacceptable to her. Even though she has been a longtime yoga practitioner and very active, she knew it just wasn’t enough to combat the arthritis.

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Kerr was a good candidate for the stem cell therapy program offered by Heller Healthcare.   Following her stem cell treatment she saw improvement right away.  

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“I think for anyone struggling with joint issues or really any kind of pain. It’s worth it, even if you started with one joint, it would be very helpful,” Kerr said just two months after her treatment.

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“This is a tremendously wonderful practice.   And, it’s not just chiropractic and it’s not just stems cells….” she remarked about Heller Healthcare.  “I’m just very impressed with the office and the staff here.   It all flows so well together.”

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Within just four weeks of her stem cell injections, Singletary already has an entirely new lease on life. No longer does she live her life confined with her daily 7 to 10 pain.   "I do still have some pain but it’s nothing like it was and it’s really not been that long. I’m 90 percent pain free now and the full effects don’t show until four months," she said with a smile.  "I would tell people who are considering it — don't wait. Don’t live in pain because this is the real deal. I feel like a teenager again."

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“For me, thinking about knee replacement surgery was just impossible with how many people and animals I have depending on me,” she said. “Plus my thinking has always been there’s got to be a more natural way ... where I don’t have to put in something that doesn’t belong in my body.” Stephens added.

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 Just six weeks post Stem Cell Therapy, Stephens’s documented developments are incredible. Her mobility has greatly improved; the time it takes her to work is back down to as fast as she has ever been. Her knee pain is hardly noticeable, and she no longer walks with a limp. Her return to an active lifestyle has completely changed her outlook on life and living the way she wants to.

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“I should have done it years ago. It’s so worth it. I suffered for so long,” Stephens said.

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Haigh’s ability to relate to patients has certainly helped make her job easier. And recently she underwent a procedure that many of her patients have experienced — stem cell therapy.

“This (stem cell therapy) is such a nice alternative to surgery. You always want to avoid surgery whenever you can. So, whether it’s through different holistic treatment methods — stem cell, physical therapy — it’s nice to have that option,” Haigh said.

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“I was adamant that I wasn’t going to have surgery. I was going to try everything else first,” Moore said. “I would only do it (surgery) as a last resort.”

“I would tell anyone who has been in my situation whether it’s knees, shoulders, back or elbows ... call Dr. Jen — really,” she said. “It’s an investment in yourself and you are worth it.”

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Worley didn’t have to wait long to see results. After receiving the stem cell injections, she was pain free within a week.  

My only regret is that I wish I had done it sooner,” she said.

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“There are so many things that I just don’t think we know about until we find a gem of a place like Jen’s (Heller Healthcare),” she said. “Just that guidance of going through that, makes the difference.”

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"It's a miracle.  It's a miracle. It brought me out of the darkness... I was there." stated Janis Schnellman, following her Stem Cell Therapy at Heller Healthcare.

We've all heard the saying, "It takes a village."   Well, Dr. Jennifer Heller has established her practice on that same approach, as her office embraces an integrative medical approach to treat and care for their patients.  

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Welcome to Heller Healthcare, the Stem Cell Clinic of Georgia, specializing in Regenerative and Functional Medicine, including Stem Cell Therapy, Hormone Harmonization, VIP Medicine, Physician Guided Weight Loss, Alternative Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy and more. 

Following Mr. Knapp's treatment - every time he walks into the office now, he smiles and is proud to mark “no pain today” on his therapy intake form. Bob Knapp is full of gratitude and enjoys sharing his story: “If I can help someone else and inspire them to get care, of course I’ll share my story.”

The clientele at Heller Healthcare are reporting that they are running one of the top regenerative wellness programs in the southeastern United States.   Heller's patients that have researched and looked around at other options one the fact that Heller offers total health options.   Patients come from all over the counter - Jacksonville, Atlanta, Arkansas, Indiana and more.