LIFELINE ~ A Prolife Message
Adult Stem Cells and Medical Miracles
By Colleen
Have you ever heard of Laura Dominguez, or Susan Fajt? Both of these women were paralyzed below the waist. They were among a group of patients who underwent surgery to transplant their own stem cells to their spinal cords, Both women now can walk short distances with braces. Heard of Dennis Turner? He has Parkinson’s Disease. One of his arms was rendered useless, and his shaking was so severe, that coordinated use of both sides of his body was impossible. He was treated with his own stem cells and had a total reprieve for five years. What about the woman who was paralyzed for 19 years? Umbilical cord stem cells were used and her spinal cord is starting to regrow. Her feeling and mobility are restored. What wonderful miracles these little cells are bringing us, but no one hears about them. I wonder why. We hear enough about the need for embryonic stem cell research, why not about the success of adult and umbilical stem cells. Why are celebrities that we know and love insisting that embryos must be destroyed in order to heal people? Well, if Michael J. Fox says so, and he’s such a nice guy, then I guess it must be true... right???
This whole stem cell thing is a little tricky. It can get a bit confusing if you don’t have the right information. First, one has to get to know the basics: what are stem cells? Stem cells are cells within our bodies that haven’t quite decided what they are doing or where they are going. Think of them as “cells in waiting.” They could be possible future skin cells, or organ tissue cells. We all have these stem cells; adults, children, newborns, and of course, the unborn. Next question: what’s all the fuss? Well, it seems science has found a way to direct, or set a path for these cells that works medically to our advantage. The cells are told what to become, and then used as needed. Now, where do ethics play a part in the issue? For the most part, stem cell research is a good thing. When adult stem cells or any of the abundant cells found in a newborn baby’s umbilical cord and placenta are used the results are great! People are being healed, and at no one’s expense. Unfortunately, science has a way of refusing to leave good enough alone. They insist on using embryonic stem cells. This means they take the cells from a newly created unborn baby, and always at the cost of that person’s life. Up until now, nothing beneficial has been discovered using embryonic stem cells.
Not one cure or reprieve, nothing. Meanwhile, adult and umbilical cord cells have already helped numerous people, and with more research more success is expected. So why do scientists and lobbyists like Michael J. Fox and Christopher Reeve keep insisting that embryonic stem cell research is so crucial? Who knows? Some say that the medical people involved know that these stem cells won’t ever help, they just want the funding and the rights to start fetal farms to harvest the tissue and organs of manufactured babies. Keep in mind that embryonic research is not illegal. The advocates aren’t lobbying to change the laws, they are lobbying to get your money to continue their disgusting “work”.
There are two things that tend to scare me with this whole issue. The first is that when cures and advances are discovered the media doesn’t differentiate between the types of cells used. And when the general public hears of these advances, they automatically assume stem cells mean embryonic stem cells, which has never been the case. My second fear is the “what if” fear.
What if embryonic stem cells do produce some amazing cure in the future? Many good people with legitimate illnesses and diseases will be put in a hard situation. But does legitimate suffering give a person the right to destroy another human being for their own physical well-being? Is the value of one human being more than that of another simply because that other is small? Obviously, never.
Please keep yourself informed, and speak up when you hear others
discussing the matter.
