Minneapolis Activist Testifies at Congressional Hearing on Stem Cells Mom With Parkinson's Tells Why She Supports Castle-DeGette Bill
Minneapolis resident and Parkinson's disease activist Jackie Christensen testified Tuesday at a hearing of the Republican Main Street Partnership. The hearing, convened by Partnership President of co-author of HR- 4682 the Castle-DeGette Stem Cell bill, chaired the hearing.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) November 19, 2004 --Minneapolis resident and
Parkinson's disease activist Jackie Christensen testified Tuesday at a hearing
of the Republican Main Street Partnership. The hearing, convened by Partnership
President of co-author of HR- 4682 the Castle-DeGette Stem Cell bill, chaired
the hearing.
Christensen, a 40-year-old wife and mother of two sons, who
refers to herself as the M.U.S.C.L.E. (Minnesotan Urging Stem Cell Line
Expansion) Mom, told the lawmakers and staffers present at the hearing about her
personal struggle with Parkinson's disease over the past seven years.
"I
have had to give up a number of things because of my Parkinson's disease," said
Christensen. "but the hardest thing for me to give up has been my dream of
giving birth to a daughter."
Christensen told the hearing attendees that
she had undergone a tubal ligation three years ago, in case the Parkinson's
disease and Crohn's disease that she experiences might have a genetic component.
"I absolutely support a woman's right to choose, but I also choose to
have a stone in this ring to mark a miscarriage that I had 10 years ago," she
said, pointing to a "mother's ring" on her finger that contained onyx and lapis
lazuli stones for the birth of her two sons flanking a thin strip of purple
quartz.
"I take human life very seriously – something that I have proven
in my nearly 20 years of working for a child's right to be born into a clean
health environment, "Christensen continued." And because of my convictions, I
wholeheartedly support the use of embryos that are being discarded from in-vitro
fertilization clinics for use in research. These clumps of cells that cannot
actualize their humanity without a womb in which to grow, can potentially
sustain other lives – individuals that are already tangible, visible beings who
are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters."
The Castle-DeGette bill would
amend the Public Health Service Act to allow and support embryonic stem cell
research to continue, provided the following caveats, plus guidelines developed
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the National
Institutes of Health, are met:
1) The stem cells were derived from human
embryos that have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created
for the purposes of fertility treatment, and were in excess of the clinical need
of the individuals seeking such treatment.
(2) Prior to the consideration
of embryo donation and through consultation with the individuals seeking
fertility treatment, it is determined that the embryos will never be implanted
in a woman and would otherwise be discarded.
(3) The individuals seeking
fertility treatment donated the embryos with written informed consent and
without receiving any financial or other inducements to make the
donation.
Additional information about the Castle-DeGette bill can be
found at http://capwiz.com/pan/issues/bills/?bill=6149621&alertid=6149626
or at the Parkinson's Action Network website: www.parkinsonsaction.org
Minnesota co-sponsors of the
bill include Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-3rd District), Congresswoman Betty
McCollum (DFL-4th District) and Congressman Martin Olav Sabo (DFL-5th District).
Ms. Christensen is on long-term disability from her work in the Food and
Health Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis
because of her Parkinson's disease. She volunteers as Vice-President of the
Parkinson Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Coordinator for the
Parkinson's Action Network.
Contact: Jackie Christensen, M.U.S.C.L.E.
(Minnesotan Urging Stem Cell Line Expansion) Mom, 612-325-0372
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb180296.htm