The Push for Stem Cell Research

On September 3, 2000, my grandmother passed away after over a five year battle with Alzheimer's Disease. We're not really sure how long she actually had the disease; however on a February day in 1999, it became quite evident that something was drastically wrong. For years previously, Nan would make off-collar comments or become easily confused. We chalked it up to forgetfulness and aging. We couldn't have been more wrong. That February day, it was more than simple forgetfulness. Nan regressed to her past - no longer recognizing the house she was living in and longing for her home place which she had not lived in for over thirty years. This was also the last day that she ever recognized my sister. My sister was her first grandchild, and therefore held a special place in my Nan's heart. It was devastating to my sister, as well as myself, to see Nan not remember her. Nan was no longer able to stay at home because she would wander out in the street and become aggressive when you tried to reason with her. I lost Nan that day...even though she died over a year later, I lost my Nan that day.

For anyone who hasn't experienced Alzheimer's Disease, I can't explain it to you. It is probably the only disease in the world that is harder on the family and caregivers than the actual patient. My family and I watched my Nan wither away to a shell of a human being. Had she been aware of what was happening, she would've been mortified. She would've been so embarassed by her aggressiveness and loss of inhibition. My mother barely made it through the experience. Of all my life experiences, Alzheimer's is by far the worst.

Today, Michael J. Foxx sat before the Senate and asked them to follow the lead set by the House and lift the restrictions on stem cell research. Foxx suffers from Parkinson's Disease - a disabling neuromuscular disease. Stem cell research holds the most hope for cures for a long list of diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer. In 2001, President Bush imposed restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research. Along with these restrictions came a ban on federal funding for new human embryonic stem cell studies. In a nutshell, only stem cells donated from umbilical cords can be used for research purposes. The problem with these cells is that some of them have already begun to differentiate, therefore limiting the potential benefit of these cells. Other key figures pushing for a lift of these restrictions include First Lady Nancy Reagan, Mary Tyler Moore, and Dana Reeve (wife of the last Christopher Reeve). President Reagan passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Mary Tyler Moore suffers from Diabetes. Christopher Reeve was a quadriplegic. All of these individuals may have benefited from stem cell research.

Senator Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, has been instrumental in bringing forward the bill to lift these restrictions. Specter suffers from cancer. Sentator Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, is the co-sponsor of this bill. The House passed this bill on May 24. The Senate is debating bringing it to the floor. Unfortunately, President Bush has vowed to veto the bill. The bill passed in the House with a 238-194 vote, way short of the 2/3's required to override a Presidential veto. It is uncertain whether the Senate can amass a 2/3's vote either. Unfortunately, though this bill has bipartisan support, it may be vetoed. A veto would truly be a loss for individuals suffering from Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer.