Walking again on his own
It sounds too good to be true. In January Bob Turner limped into the office of a specialist knee surgeon. That afternoon he walked out, almost skipping with delight.
He was feeling better than he had since last April when his knee gave way.
A long-time Kalgoorlie resident and well-known sportsman, Mr Turner’s dramatic recovery has sparked amazement about town.
As it happened, a brother-in-law with a titanium knee replacement picked him up from the clinic after the operation.
“When he saw me walking, his jaw dropped down to here,” Mr Turner said.
Now he wants to tell the world about the stem cell treatment, while the Australian Orthopaedic Association says “the jury is out” on the long-term efficacy of the procedure, which is not covered by Medicare.
Mr Turner will not name the surgeon he visited, in case he inundates the clinic, and he will not say what he paid, except that he would have happily paid much more – at least $20,000 – to walk again on his own.
