Geron Corp (GERN)

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Will you work for a cure?

Herb Heinz is a member of East Bay for Democracy and Oakland for Democracy.

As a 43-year-old who has lived with Parkinson's Disease for over six years, I've learned that chronic degenerative illness is not for sissies. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition that brings a slow, unpredictable but irreversible decline of physical and mental abilities. No matter how well you adjust to these declines, the one thing you can depend on is that they will keep coming.

So I do my best to treasure and appreciate the things I still can do while I hope for a cure. People with Parkinson's and other chronic illnesses thrive on hope. Right now most scientists would agree that the best hope for curing Parkinson's Disease is research using embryonic stem cells. This amazing technology could also lead to new treatments or cures for diabetes, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and many other diseases.

The word in Washington D.C. is that Monday (July 17) the Senate will finally vote on The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (HR 810). The bill, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives over a year ago, will expand current policy to allow for federal dollars to be used for stem cell research. It specifies strict ethical guidelines: the stem cells may only be derived from embryos leftover from the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process (embryos that otherwise would be destroyed!) and the couple must provide written consent.

Recent polls indicate that an overwhelming 72% of the American people support federal funding for stem cell research. If you are part of this majority, please contact your senators and let them know how important their support of HR 810 is to you and to millions of Americans and their families.

—Herb Heinz from Howard Dean's web site blogforamerica