My Letter to the Editor

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Personal3 Comments

nullI finally got in my letter in response to the Quadriplegic lawyer who filed a complaint against Cures Without Cloning. It was a little harder than other letters I’ve written because they only allow up to 150 words. I’m used to at least 2-300. You can find it at the KC Star’s Unfettered Letters:

This letter is in response to “Group faces ethics complaint; Lawyer says backers of a proposed ballot measure have missed a filing deadline” (9/22, Local).

As a disabled person (I was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident almost eight years ago), it often frustrates me to see our side portrayed as being “against cures and research” or even sometimes insensitive to those who suffer with disease and disability, especially by other disabled individuals.

A quadriplegic lawyer who filed a complaint against Missouri Cures Without Cloning for “trying to block research that could lead to medical breakthroughs” said, “I see stem cells as the best opportunity for me to walk again.”

Well, so do I! Adult stem cells have helped treat patients with many diseases and disabilities, including spinal cord injury.

If we would focus our time and energy on promoting and perfecting research using these nonembryonic stem cells already treating patients today, they will be our best hope for even greater cures and treatments than these in the future.

Chelsea Zimmerman
Holts Summit, Mo.

Proving My Point About Republicans

ChelseaPolitics, Pro LifeLeave a Comment

In recent years, retired Sen. John Danforth, no fan of the “religious right” wing of the Republican party, has been a consistent disappointment to me as a Republican, culminating in his unwavering support for human cloning, ESC research and the passage of last year’s Amendment 2. Now he is spending his time encouraging like-minded moderate Republicans to run for office. Tonight he will be co-hosting a fund raising event for the Republican Leadership Council:

The money will be used, he said, to “support candidates who agree with us.”

Such candidates, said Danforth, will favor “the basic Republican principles” of smaller government, low taxes, free markets and national security.

The Republican Leadership Council isn’t taking positions on sensitive social issues like abortion, gay rights, guns and school prayer, said another council co-chair, Christine Todd Whitman, the former governor of New Jersey.

The views of these Republicans are similar to those supporting Giuliani’s nomination because of his liberal position in favor of homosexual and abortion rights. Giuliani himself said that Republicans need to “get beyond issues like (abortion)” in order to broaden the GOP base, or something like that.

What was most disappointing about the article, however was the statement from Paul Sloca, spokesman for the State Republican Party: “Any effort to elect Republicans to public office is a good thing.” That seems to be the mindset of much of the current mainstream Republicans.

Samuel Lee from Campaign Life Missouri, who alerted me to this article, says it best:

Regarding Missouri Republican spokesman Paul Sloca’s comment, it is a sad day in American politics when the two major political parties no longer care what a candidate or elected official believes on the important moral issues of the day, as long as he or she has an “R” or “D” after his or her name.

We don’t want to support a third party. We want Republicans to stand in support of those issues which made her so great to begin with – most importantly, the right to life of every member of our society, born and unborn.

Related Posts:
Christians Against Rudy
Pro-Life Republicans Beware
Preserving America’s Freedom

Who’s The Most Conservative Candidate?

Chelsea2008 Election, Politics, Pro LifeLeave a Comment

Via Stop the ACLU: Forbes Magazine rated the 2008 Presidential hopefuls on five policy issues, each on a scale of 1-10 (ten being the most conservative), making the highest score 50. Not surprisingly all of the Democrat candidates had scores of 10 and under, with Dennis Kucinich winning the prize for most liberal (2.8) followed closely by John Edwards (3.6).

Now, onto the GOP. This is why I am really hoping we won’t have to worry about a Giuliani nomination. According to Forbes, the big winner in the GOP is Fred Thompson with a score of 40.6 and a, roughly, 7.8 rating on social issues. John McCain came in very closely behind Thompson (40.5) and SAM BROWNBACK bested all other “second tier” candidates with a score of 37.9 (third highest) and a higher social issue score than the top two! The rest of the candidates scored as follows:

Mitt Romney 36.7
Rudy Giuliani 36.2
Duncan Hunter 34.3
Ron Paul 31.2
Tom Tancredo 31.1
Mike Huckabee 26

For those attending the Values Voters Debate (which also considered issues like immigration and terrorism), Mike Huckabee won hands down, so his rating here is surprising to me, especially his foreign policy rating of between two and three. I assume this refers to national security and the war and every time I always thought he was at least a tough talker on these issues.

So how did the candidates stack up on those “social issues”?

Hunter 10
Brownback 9.3
McCain 8.6
Tancredo 8.2
Huckabee 8.2
Thompson 7.8
Romney 7.8
Giuliani 5.8
Paul 4.2

I’m not sure what criteria they used for these social issues because some of the numbers don’t seem quite right to me. View some of the results yourself at Forbes.com.

If anyone is interested, CNN is hosting a YouTube Republican debate on November 28. You can submit video questions, to be aired and answered during the debate, from now until November 25.

Christians Against Rudy

Chelsea2008 Election, Politics, Pro Life4 Comments

Rudy GiulianiI suppose it’s time to put in my two cents on this matter. I have made it no secret that I am thoroughly opposed to Rudy Giuliani becoming the Republican presidential nominee. That is my primary focus right now. There are many people who think that Rudy does not have a chance, at this point, to win the nomination because his numbers have been dropping and the potential liability he will be to Republicans in the general election. Let’s pray that is the case.

That being said, he is still at the top of the pols even after Fred Thompson’s much anticipated entry. So the inevitable question becomes, what if Rudy defies the odds and in fact becomes the Republican nominee? The nations Christian leaders have answered by saying that they will still refuse to support the man and push for a third party candidate.

In my opinion this has less to do with Giuliani – the man and the candidate – as it does their general disappointment in the entire Republican Party which is consistently moving further away from traditional conservative values despite disingenuous campaign promises. Republican elephantDon’t get me wrong, there are still a few good men out there – one or two of whom I wouldn’t mind seeing on the ballot next November. I am also happy with the job the current President has done with the pro-life issues he’s faced in the last seven years, not to mention his picks for the Supreme Court. However, as I listen to Republican pundits on TV and some prominent talk show hosts, it seems the priorities of the mainstream Republican Party have changed. If nominated as the best representative of the Party, Giuliani, a pro-abortion, pro-gay rights Republican, may be the last straw for this camel’s heavily burdened back.

I am deeply concerned about the prospect of a President Hillary Clinton and feel quite nauseous at the thought of the kind of justices she would nominate to the Supreme Court. But I am not overly convinced that Rudy Giuliani’s nominations would be much better. Call me skeptical, but I highly doubt that he will give us the anti-Roe majority that we seek.

Regardless of all of this, our focus right now must be on success at the primaries. I like this post at the Evangelical Outpost about how irrational it would be for Republicans, even those who like him, to vote for Giuliani in the primary election.

Others Blogging:
Conservative Musings

Regular Guy, Paul
Mainstream Iowan
Gazizza
Adam’s Web
Jill Stanek

National Review
Stranger In A Foreign Land
The Mod Blog
Pro Ecclesia
The Catholic Knight – who left the Republican Party, in favor of the Constitution Party, just this year

Opposing the conservative leaders’ decision:
The Anchoress
Stones Cry Out

Stem Cell Trials for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Pro Life1 Comment

Smith also found this news from the UK abut a new clinical trial in humans testing the ability of bone marrow stem cells to help treat multiple sclerosis:

The procedure involves patients being injected with stem cells taken from their own bone marrow, in the hope that they will travel to damaged parts of the brain and repair them.

The trial started six months ago and involves six MS patients between the ages of 30 and 60. Researchers warn that it could take a number of months or even years to begin to effectively treat this disease, but are confident that this research is a step in the right direction.

I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why so many people, desperate for cures, don’t look at the advancements in the one area of stem cell research with even an equal amount of enthusiasm as they do cloning/ESC research – which has never once progressed to the level of human clinical trials.

Stem Cells Treating Animals, Too!

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Pro LifeLeave a Comment

This is an interesting story (via Wesley Smith) about an arthritic police dog whose “career” was saved thanks to stem cells taken from his own fat. I guess it’s not just humans who can benefit from carrying a little extra weight. Jargo is the dog’s name. Before the treatments he had a hard time even standing up on his own and medications were not as effective as they hoped. He still had a pretty hard time on the job and wasn’t able to perform the regular duties expected of a police dog. Now, after the stem cell treatments:

“He improved dramatically,” Zikes (Dr. Cindy Zikes at the Surgical Medical Specialty Clinic for Animals in Beaverton) said. “He’s a gorgeous dog.

“Looking at him now, you’d never know that he had to have this treatment. The potential of this stem cell therapy is really exciting.”

Within 12 days, Jago was back on patrol and showing signs of huge improvement.

“It was amazing,” Magnus (Jargo’s partner on the police force) said. “I feel like I got my dog back.

“His energy and personality returned. He regained his playfulness. He started to jump up on me again and run around on the grass. Things I almost forgot that he would do.”

In the 2 1/2 years that Jargo has worked as a K-9 partner he has helped to capture more than three dozen suspects and even saved his partner from a fight a couple of times. Needless to say, it is good that Jargo will possibly be returning to the workforce.

Newborn Beating the Odds, Hoping for Stem Cell Treatment

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Pro LifeLeave a Comment

Here is a feel good story for your weekend (well, depending on how you look at it). Little Ava Grace Milam suffered a stroke while she was still in the womb:

“They didn’t know at the time how bad, but they knew it was bad,” Milam said.

Doctors found blood in Ava’s brain and her body had stopped growing after the stroke.

“They asked for an abortion because they didn’t know if she’d be able to do much more because of brain damage,” Milam admitted.

But her parents weren’t buying it:

Instead, Ava’s parents gave their daughter a chance at life and she has beaten the odds.

“She shows emotion. They said she wouldn’t be able to do that–that she would just exist, is what they told us,” she continued.

Ava laughs, cries and eats like normal babies, even though doctors had predicted she’d need a feeding tube.

The stroke did affect her in some ways, however, and she’s showing signs of cerebral palsy. But the family is still not giving up. They are hoping that stem cell treatments from umbilical cord blood will help little Ava’s progress in the future.

In a world where somewhere between 50-80% of parents probably would have opted for the abortion (under heavy pressure from their doctors, no doubt), it is nice to see a family risk loving a child that is not perfectly healthy.

HT: Dawn Patrol

Stem Cells Treat Spinal Cord Injury…Again

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research4 Comments

Recently 38 spinal cord injury patients were treated at Luis Vernaza Hospital in Guayaquil, Ecuador with bone marrow stem cells taken from the patients’ own hip bones (HT: JivinJehoshaphat):

Of the 25 patients who provided more than three months and up to 14 months follow up: 15 gained the ability to stand up, 10 could walk on the parallels with braces, seven could walk without braces and five could walk with crutches. Three patients recovered full bladder control, and 10 patients regained some form of sexual function. No adverse events or abnormal reactions to implantation were observed.

This isn’t the first time stem cells have been used to treat spinal cord injury. In May I posted on a woman who received stem cell transplants from her own blood. Before the treatments she had absolutely no feeling or movement whatsoever in the lower limbs. Now she reports that, “Every other week, something is getting stronger or I’m feeling something different, or a little bit more.”

The most famous study came out of Portugal a few years ago when Dr. Carlos Lima treated patients with stem cells right from their own noses. After this treatment every one of the seven patients showed improved ASIA motor scores, among other improvements. Here is one patient’s testimony: Jacki Rabon

If we would focus our time and energy on promoting and perfecting research using these non-embryonic stem cells already treating patients they will be our best hope for even greater cures and treatments than these in the future.

Update on MO Abortion Law

ChelseaAbortion, Planned ParenthoodLeave a Comment

Yesterday a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state from enforcing new regulations on abortion clinics until it can negotiate a “compromise with abortion providers.” This left both attorneys proclaiming victory. Gov. Blunt praised the decision while Missouri Right to Life had mixed feelings. They applaud the judge’s ruling that it is reasonable to ensure that women seeking surgical abortions do so in a safe environment, but are disappointed that he did not acknowledge the dangers of chemical abortions as well.

My thoughts: Any delay in implementing the new law is a setback in my book – especially while trying to “compromise with abortion providers.” However the Judge did say that it was unlikely that the abortion providers would be able to prove their claim that the law itself would be an unconstitutional obstacle for women seeking abortions.

Quadriplegic Files Complaint Against Cures Without Cloning

ChelseaAdult Stem Cell Research, Cloning4 Comments

This story in the KC Star begins by describing Eric Westacott as a lawyer who has filed an ethics complaint against Missouri Cures Without Cloning for failing to file a finance report required by MO law. But, later in the article we come to find out that:

Westacott said he filed the complaint because, as a quadriplegic since breaking his neck playing softball nearly 14 years ago, he is bothered that a group is trying to block research that could lead to medical breakthroughs.

We were expecting many legal challenges against us during this campaign but this is disappointing – for me personally anyway. As a disabled person myself it often frustrates me to see our side portrayed as being “against cures” and insensitive to those who suffer with disease and disability. In fact, we are so in favor of cures and helping the disabled we want to focus the research onto that which is showing the most promise and helping patients today.

Said Westacott, “I see stem cells as the best opportunity for me to walk again.” So do we! Adult stem cells, including those from umbilical cord blood, have helped treat patients with a number of different diseases and disabilities, including spinal cord injury, and they are our best hope for greater cures and treatments in the future.

In light of the many real successes with adult stem cells I am sad to see so people, like Mr. Westacott, utterly convinced that their greatest hope lies in research which requires the creation and destruction of human life – research which also is either a. not yet a possibility (no human embryos have ever been cloned, therefore no research has ever been done on their stem cells) or b. such a failure in animal subjects that after 25 years no human trials have even been attempted.