Help Hunter Heal His Spine Through Stem Cell Therapy
My Story
I’m Hunter Baumann, a U.S. Army veteran who was injured in the Army and later medically retired after nearly nine years of service.
I served first as a Cavalry Scout and later as an Armor Officer, but severe disc degeneration, multiple herniated discs, fissures on discs, and lumbar radiculopathy now make daily life extremely difficult.
I can still walk, though I limp and feel sharp pain shooting down my leg. Sitting is nearly impossible — I cannot comfortably use a chair without shooting pain.
I’m raising $30,000 to receive stem-cell therapy at BioXcellerator in Colombia (from umbilical cord post-birth, no harm to baby or mother), along with travel, food, and lodging expenses during treatment.
Of that total, $24,000 covers the treatment itself, as detailed below, and the remaining $6,000 will go toward travel, meals, and lodging during my recovery period.
About Me
My name is Hunter Baumann, and I’m a U.S. Army veteran and graduate student at the University of Central Florida, pursuing a Master of Health Administration.
I’m seeking help to fund stem-cell therapy that could repair my spine, reduce my pain, and give me a chance to live a normal life again.
How I Was Injured
In January 2022, while training in the Ranger Training Assessment Course (RTAC) — a pre-Ranger course run by the 4th Ranger Training Battalion — I sustained a serious spinal injury that ended my military career.
I enlisted as a Cavalry Scout (19D) before commissioning as an Armor Officer. After nearly nine years of service, I was medically retired in February 2024 as a First Lieutenant.
Because of current laws, I do not receive a military pension.
Living With Severe Spine Damage
The injury caused severe degenerative disc disease (DDD) and multiple herniated discs throughout my lower back.
Medical scans show degeneration and fissures at L3, L4, L5, and S1, with compression on both nerve roots, resulting in bilateral lumbar radiculopathy — constant pain and tingling down both legs.
I can walk, but I limp constantly, and the pain shoots sharply down my leg with nearly every step.
It’s extremely painful to sit, I avoid chairs entirely, because even a few minutes causes burning, stabbing pain that radiates through my lower back and legs.
Most nights, I sleep only two to three hours before pain wakes me up again.
Sometimes the pain becomes so intense that I cry at night, trying to find a position that doesn’t feel like my spine is being crushed.
Because of the pain, I have to lay down or stand for most basic activities, things like reading, working, or watching something.
I can’t sit through a movie or at a restaurant, and I often have to eat meals standing up.
Even at work, I have to stand the entire day during my internship at the VA Hospital in Lake Nona, where I continue serving fellow veterans despite my condition.
Basic tasks have also become much harder. It’s painful to bend down or reach, and something as simple as putting on socks and shoes can take several minutes and leave me in pain.
Even cleaning or small chores around the house can cause sharp pain or muscle spasms that last for hours afterward.
Unfortunately, this isn’t something that’s improving with time, it’s continuing to worsen. Each month brings new pain flare-ups and more difficulty moving, and my doctors have warned that without intervention, the degeneration could become irreversible. I’m very young, and I don’t want to live like this for the rest of my life.
Why Disc Replacement Isn’t an Option
Multiple spine surgeons have explained that I am not a candidate for disc replacement or spinal fusion surgery because:
• I have multi-level degeneration (L3–S1), far beyond the safe range for disc replacement.
• Replacing one or two discs would shift stress onto the others, causing them to collapse or herniate further.
• Multi-level replacement carries a high risk of instability and paralysis.
As one surgeon told me, “It’s like trying to rebuild a house on four cracked pillars, replace one, and the others give out.” That’s why I’ve turned to stem-cell therapy, to regenerate and strengthen the discs I still have, not replace them.
Why I Believe in Stem-Cell Therapy
I’ve found real hope through Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (WJ-MSCs), available at BioXcellerator, an ISO 9001-certified regenerative-medicine facility in Columbia.
These Golden Cells™ are ethically sourced from umbilical cords, no harm to mother or baby, and selected for their anti-inflammatory and regenerative potential.
They target damaged tissue, reduce inflammation, and help rebuild spinal discs and nerves on a cellular level.
This therapy could be my only chance to live without constant pain.
How the Funds Will Be Used
I am asking for $30,000 to cover treatment and travel expenses.
• $24,000 will go directly toward treatment costs, including:
• Stem-cell therapy and cell processing
• Doctor consultations and evaluations
• MRI scans (before & after treatment)
• Hyperbaric chamber sessions to accelerate healing
• The remaining $6,000 will help cover travel, lodging, and food during the multi-day treatment and recovery process in Columbia.
Your donation will help me focus fully on healing without worrying about financial barriers.
Scientific Evidence
Research on MSC therapy for degenerative disc disease shows real promise:
• Studies show stem-cell therapy can reduce pain and disability by over 50 percent.
• BioXcellerator’s data from over 500 patients show significant improvement in both pain and mobility, confirmed by MRI results.
• Clinical trials using umbilical-cord stem cells report lasting improvements in disc hydration and nerve repair.
Why I’m Asking for Help
VA healthcare and TRICARE won’t cover stem cells for back injuries. Because of the offset law, despite being medically retired, I don’t receive a retirement pension, only VA disability. I’ve dedicated my life to service, first in the Army, now helping veterans at the VA.
But now, I need help myself.
I want to reduce my pain, regain stability, and live normally again, to sit, study, sleep, work, and move without constant agony.
This treatment offers the chance to make that possible.
Looking Forward
I want to be able to sit at a desk and work like a regular person, without pain shooting down my leg.
I want to enjoy simple activities again, kayaking, sitting in a restaurant, watching a movie, or taking a long flight without being in agony.
Most of all, I want my life back.
This therapy gives me hope that I can live without pain, return to the activities I love, and focus on building a future instead of managing my pain.
How You Can Help
Every donation, no matter the size, helps make this treatment possible.
Even if you cannot donate, please share my story to help it reach others. Please share it to any of your friends, veteran groups, veterans, family members, websites, organizations, local media outlets, newspapers, or anyone who you think could help.
Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and support.
You’re not just helping me heal, you’re giving me a second chance at life.
– Hunter Baumann, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Organizer
