Barbara Stephanus and her beloved husband, Paul, did everything together. Their eyes met from across the room at a real estate dinner, and within months they were engaged. Married for more than 60 years, they built a life and a property investment business together. When Paul passed away four years ago, Barbara found new purpose in life by supporting medical research.
She sees a future where many patients can avoid invasive surgeries and long recoveries with the help of regenerative treatments like stem cells. As the recipient of one and a half knee replacements, the 91-year-old wants to help find new treatments that will help fellow sufferers of arthritis. That’s where physician researcher Adam Pourcho, D.O., comes in.
Dr. Pourcho is pioneering noninvasive treatments for arthritis and other painful, life-style-limiting conditions that take advantage of the body’s healing powers. Using a patient’s plasma and stem cells, he prepares injections to slow the disease progression in knees, wrists and ankles. With Barbara’s philanthropic support, Dr. Pourcho has the equipment he needs to conduct trials and perfect his techniques. And as Dr. Pourcho publishes his work, he is able to build a stronger case for federal grants in the future.
“With philanthropy, we are fine-tuning the treatments of tomorrow that will get more patients up and moving.” – Adam Pourcho, D.O., physiatrist, Swedish Spine, Sports & Musculoskeletal Medicine
Barbara is proud that her and Paul’s shared life’s work has given her the means to invest in the future of medicine. “It makes me feel like I was put on this earth for a reason,” she says. “It’s an awfully good feeling to know that you might’ve made a little difference in the world.”
Learn how your gift to Swedish can bring stories of hope, healing and wellness to our community at www.swedishfoundation.org.
