Joan Snyder -
You make me very proud to call you a first-class advocate and my personal
friend!  Great speech!

Peggy  Willocks

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joan E Snyder" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2004 9:17 PM
Subject: news from illinois


> on Thursday, February 19th, i was invited by US Congressman Lane Evans
> to be at his side at the State Capital press conference where he
> announced his intentions to run for a 13th term of office. i was also
> asked to make some remarks about his abilities to serve another term in
> the face of outragous comments by his opponent about his health being a
> factor in this campaign. here is what i said to the media:
>
>
>
> I am Joan Blessington Snyder.
> I live in Chillicothe, IL and am a wife and mom to two teenagers.
> I am 52 yrs. old and have been dxed with Parkinson's Disease for almost
> 14 yrs. now.
> I came here today to tell you why I think that Lane Evans can handle the
> job that you elect him to do.
> While I don't agree with every vote that Congressman Evans has cast...it
> is with certainty that I can vouch for his integrity, his humanity and
> his abilities.
> Parkinson's Disease affects each one of differently-it's a designer
> disease with no two of us progressing the same way or reacting to
> medicines in the same way.
> But what I know from meeting and talking to hundreds of people with
> Parkinson's is that in nearly every case, our disease, (while none of us
> would choose this path) has profoundly affected our lives for the better.
> It has taught us patience, compassion, and how to prioritize our
> commitments...and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that a person
> with parkinson's is a person who is an overachiever.
>  I know Lane Evans and I know his disease and I can tell you that he is
> ultimately committed to continue to do the best job despite what some
> may see as a disability.
>
> I am proud to call Lane Evans a friend and I think that he embodies the
> words of Pope John the 23rd when he said:
>
>  "Consult not your fears
> but your hopes and your dreams.
> Think not about your frustrations,
> but about your unfulfilled potential.
> Concern yourself
> not with what you
> tried and failed in,
> but with what it is still possible
> for you to do."
>
> and here is an article from the local newspaper:
>
> Celebrating lifesaving cord blood donation
> Aids scientific research
> By: Karen Danner of the Chillicothe Times Bulletin
> Wednesday, March 3, 2004
>
>  In a sea of name tags which reads like the Who's Who of the political
> and medical arenas sits Chillicothean  Joan Blessington Snyder.
>
> Surrounded by people wielding so much influence, as well as an array of
> family and friends, Snyder slowly makes her way to the microphone to
> address the crowd gathered to "open the door to hope" celebrating cord
> blood donations at Three Sisters Park Saturday night.
>
>  With her sister, Gina Harris, lending support, Snyder's halting voice
> brings  the room to a sudden silence as her words as her words of
> thanks extend to everyone.
>
>  "You all fill my heart with hope, not for my generation, but for my
> kids' generation," said Snyder as her words drifted into tears.
>
> Once again, Snyder, a self-made activist for Parkinson's disease,
> realized another of her many dreams-a celebration dinner about cord
> blood donation, the richest source of stem cells to save lives.
>
> Stars of the show
>
>  Through the determination and effort of many people, the word is
> spreading about the value of donating cord blood.
>
>  In January, a new law, House Bill 1834, took effect, making Illinois
> the first state to make mandatory  doctor's offering their pregnant
> patients the opportunity to donate their umbilical cord blood, which
> contains lifesaving stem cells.
>
>  Stem cell research will aid scientists in finding cures for not only
> Parkinson's, but also breast cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's and
more.
>
>  According to Cryobanks International of Orlando, FL, a collector of
> cord blood, after a baby is born and the umbilical  cord  clamped and
> separated from the baby, blood is drawn from the cord after the placenta
> is delivered.
>
>  Once collected, the sample goes to Cryobanks, where it is processed and
> stored in liquid nitrogen indefinitely.
>
>  Not only is cord blood collection painless, it is also not as
> controversial as embryonic stem cell collection and is non-invasive,
> unlike bone marrow retrieval.
>
>  Dr. Kay Savings, medical director at Children's Hospital of Illinois
> told those gathered in Three Sisters Park pavilion, that the stem cells
> which are located inside bone marrow also exist in cord blood.
>
>  Savings said that the first cord blood transplant was done in the late
> 1980's in Paris.
>
>  She said that cord blood donation is less expensive than bone marrow;
> can be frozen, stored and remain easily available for immediate
> transplant; has less chance of rejection; and causes no harm to the
> recipient.
>
>  Savings encourages awareness and spreading the word in all communities,
> giving more soon-to-be mothers the chance to take part.
>
>  University of Illinois College of Medicine health research specialist,
> Peggy Mankin told the audience, "For the last two years, I've worked
> with Illinois communities" earning her the nickname of the "cord blood
> evangelist."
>
>  Donations (donors remain anonymous) are listed on an international
> registry, said Mankin, and, to date, Illinois residents have donated
> almost 600 units of cord blood.
>
>  Visiting Illinois once again, Texan Mitch Lechelt brought his musical
> talent and a cd for all the guests, "Open Doors," on which he wrote and
> sings the title song and with donated tracks from other Texas artists,
> is using the cd as a fund-raiser for finding a cure for Parkinson's
> disease and is now broadening its focus to include cord blood donation
> awareness.
>
>  A fellow "parkie", Lechelt met Snyder in a PD chatroom online and the
> two became convinced that they were being brought together for a higher
> purpose. Lechelt said the evening represented "a coming together to
> change the way we deal with diseases. We're tired of being sick."
>
>  Rep. David Leitch (R-Peoria), who sponsored HB 1834, spoke of the
> diversity of people who all share a concern about others and trying to
help.
>
>  "Think about the potential we have together," said Leitch. "People
> across the world will benefit from lifesaving cord blood donations."
>
>  Master of ceremonies Gina Morss of News 25 WEEK, put in her feelings
> about cord blood donation in simple words.
>
>  "It is such a no-brainer and it's not controversial," concluded Morss.
>
>  For more information about Lechelt's CD "Open Door," visit the web
> site: www.opendoorscd.org <http://www.opendoorscd.org/>
>
>  To learn more about cord blood donation, visit the web site:
>
> www.cryo-intl.com <http://www.cryo-intl.com/>
>
> or contact Snyder at:
>
> www.plwp.org
>
>
> --
> Joan E. Blessington Snyder       51/13
> http://www.pwnkle.com/jes/jes_web/index.htm
> <[log in to unmask]>
> "Hang tough...........no way through it but to do it."
> Chris-in-the-Morning   (Northern Exposure)
>
>
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