GREEN BAY — Bart Starr's goal is a simple one, and one that he's willing to go to science for help on: Returning to Lambeau Field.
The Green Bay Packers' legendary quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer, who suffered multiple strokes last autumn and has been working to recover since, is participating in a clinical trial involving stem-cell therapy. According to his family, the 81-year-old Starr underwent the first of two stem-cell treatments last week.
In a statement issued through the Packers public-relations department, the family said, "Following Bart's strokes, our family began to investigate numerous therapy options. Several months ago we applied for and were accepted into a clinical trial using stem cells. Friday we safely returned home from the first of the two treatments.
"While we welcome everyone's interest and support of Bart's health, at this time, we'd like to allow him a chance to fully participate in the clinical trial and let the results, if any, to speak for themselves. At an appropriate time in the future, our family looks forward to sharing the details of Bart's participation in this most important clinical exploration of what role stem cells may play in the treatment of stroke.
"Until then, we continue to thank you for all of your love and prayers. Your support has given us much strength over the past nine months. Bart joins me in sending our love and appreciation to all our special friends and fans. We are working hard toward the one goal he most cherishes: a return to Green Bay for a Packers game."
Starr had been set to come to Lambeau Field last fall to accompany Brett Favre upon his return to the stadium where he'd played his home games for 16 of his 20 NFL seasons. After Starr fell ill, Favre canceled his visit.
Before departing on the Packers annual Tailgate Tour this spring, Favre's former teammate, Jerry Kramer, revealed that he'd done some research on his own on stem-cell treatments after reading about hockey legend Gordie Howe's family turned to stem cells after Howe suffered a stroke in October, 2014. Howe's family believes the stem-cell therapy made a significant difference for the 86-year-old.
Kramer said he reached out to Starr's wife, Cherry, and son, Bart Jr., in hopes of helping his old friend.
"I don't know if you followed Gordie Howe's story the last couple months, [but] Gordie had a massive stroke and he went to a stem-cell clinic down in Mexico and made a marvelous recovery, just an incredible recovery," Kramer said in April. "So I sent Bart Jr. and Cherry all the information I could find on that clinic. Bart was having trouble walking. He was having trouble talking.
"I haven't talked to Cherry for [awhile], but the last time I talked to her, he was home and he had gone outside by himself, and he walked around the patio by himself, and they were getting ready to go for a ride, so that was very encouraging and very hopeful. But he's having a tough time."
Jason Wilde wrote: