Nick Tilsner
The goal of every campaign I have been involved in is to relate the issues to ordinary people. In other words, how will your bill or stance on this issue make my life a little better? If I told you certain embryonic stem cell research had the ability to cure many illnesses that cause suffering for millions of Americans what would you say? Senator, Congressman, do whatever you have to to help get this research off the ground. My goal here is to provide useful ideas to promote this research. We must make a good effort to explain why this research will have benefits for everyone.
Why should average Americans care about this issue? We all know someone with a spinal cord injury or Parkinson's, as well as a countless number of other illnesses that will ultimately be helped by this research. I can envision a young teenage girl suffering from diabetes. I know before she goes to bed at night she has to hook herself up to a machine that draws her blood multiple times during the middle of the night. This process has become so routine for her she sleeps through the blood drawings. Is it not the job of our government to do everything in its power to help this young girl and many others like her? Promoting embryonic stem cell research is a great start toward helping ease or cure symptoms of diabetes. Embryonic stem cells are useful because they can replace any unhealthy cell tissue in the body. Adult cells can only replace the specific cells they correspond to in the body. Should we not let science lead us into this medical breakthrough of the future? The last high profile speech on this issue was given by Ron Reagan in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention. He outlined many stories of the patients who needed medical help and why embryonic stem cell research was the answer. It is now May, 2009. It is time for action now.
The point is, we tend to debate many issues like this one for extended periods of time without action. Energy independence and stem cell research are different issues but they have one thing in common. We have debated them for too long without action. In energy's case we have been debating independence for decades, in the case of stem cell research it has been over ten years and counting. This issue does not need to be debated for another ten years. I want to hear about my friend Shawn, who suffers from a spinal cord injury walking again. Stories like that are out in the future but I believe we must look to the future now, for Shawn and others. Helping patients is what this debate is about. We all care a great deal because anyone of us may need help next.
The science in this process works simply. A doctor takes skin cells from your arm. He places these cells in a donor egg with no nucleus. This is when the science begins. The process of chemical and electrical stimulation takes place and cells start to divide. New healthy cells are now part of your tissue. Since this involves your DNA, rejection is not an issue. These cells replace damaged neural cells, such as those found in Parkinson's patients. Once they are replaced through this process the patient may ultimately be cured. Note that no embryo was created or destroyed during this entire process. It bears repeating over and over because this is one argument that is constantly used to undermine funding of stem cell research.
In the policy arena we can find left over cells in any fertility clinic. The choice is simple; use these cells or discard them. Pro-life groups will say adopt these children before they are actually placed in the Mother's womb, but even then we are still left with many unused cells. You or I may become the next person in need of a cure.
The only way to get this research off the ground is to federally fund it to avoid a fifty-state battle over funding and guidelines. To deal with questions of ethics, a review board put together by Congress is a smart way to proceed. All views from across the diverse spectrum need to be heard. This means, for example, someone from the Family Research Council and someone from a pro-funding non-profit advocacy working together on this panel along with scientists and other stakeholders.
To raise money for this, a greater tax on tobacco and alcohol is a good start. Who would refuse to pay a few extra cents on tobacco products to help a young girl with diabetes or a man with a spinal cord injury? Remember, embryonic stem cell research funding is about all of us. You or I may be the next patients in need of medical help. Let's take advantage of President Obama's lifting of the ban on funding this research. The medical success stories will follow in the years to come.
