Stemming the Tide – A New Weapon Comes Out of the Deep Freeze

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that advances in medical treatment have dramatically improved the quality of life around the world. My mother died from the effects of breast cancer in 1971. Today she most likely would have survived thanks to new treatments and medical procedures.

Medical research is an incredible thing.

Now President Obama has given researchers another tool to help combat the ravages of Parkinson’s and a host of other diseases and injuries.

Embryonic stem cells may live up to all their hype but at least scientists will have the opportunity to use these unwanted stem cells to do what doctors and medical researchers have done for centuries, try to improve our health.

For some, the use of embryonic stem cells is a morally reprehensible. I respect their religious beliefs and would never ask them to use a treatment that might come from this new research.

However, there are a great may of us who don’t share their particular religious belief. What we do know is that it’s better to give scientists the opportunity to see if these cells will yield some relief and cures than to let these same cells sit forever in some deep freeze or be flushed down the sewer when the owners no longer want them.

There are other types of research being done on other types of stem cells. Many hold promise to those who suffer from spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s and other crippling diseases. That research will continue and hopefully find cures to these ugly conditions.

President Bush made a mistake in hamstringing scientists by not allowing embryonic stem cell research. President Obama has corrected his error. His statement on signing the decision was simple and to the point, especially to people with deeply felt religious convictions.

"As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering,"

Amen.

There will be the usual hysteria from certain segments. Claims of human cloning and women selling their embryos are just around the corner and will feed the airways of conservative talk radio. Some religious leaders will liken this policy to Hitler or call it humans acting as God or manipulating nature.

They have a right to their opinion. They have a right to not use the cures that may come from President Obama's decision. That is their choice.

I just don’t want them to force their religious views on me.

We won’t know for a few years whether these particular stem cells will unlock the cures researchers seek.

But, we can hope and pray they will. Hope and pray for the victims of these insidious conditions and hope and pray for the families of those patients.

It’s too late to see Christopher Reeves walk again or Ronald Reagan regain his memory.

Hopefully it’s not too late to see Michael J. Fox return to acting or Stephen Hawking be released from his withered, wasted body to contribute even more to our world.

President Obama has given millions hope for a cure. In today’s world climate, hope is a very good thing to have.