STEM CELL POLICY SUMMIT: SUSTAINING THE MANDATE FOR CURES

SATURDAY NIGHT JUNE 11, 2005

STEVE'S JOURNAL



I am on the plane home as I recall the events of Saturday night. In retrospect it was quite an
evening.

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It is Saturday evening and the Genetics Policy Institute has a reception scheduled at our hotel to
allow the participants to mix and network. The speakers who made presentations earlier in the day
are there so we can mix with them and find out more about the research they are doing in their
respective laboratories. The group is quite congenial and you can tell by the smiles that the
conversation is very pleasant. Some members in the group have furrowed brows as they talk about the
challenges ahead of us not only in the laboratory, but also in the US Congress and numerous state
legislatures. I shook hands with a gentleman who I think is Dr Robert Beckman who is from Toronto,
Canada. I have my camera in my hand and he says "We need to get Bernie over here and get a picture
with him and his lovely wife, Sheryl." I watch Robert race across the room and grab Bernie from what
appeared to be an engaged conversation and drag Bernie away so we can get a picture. Robert puts his
arm around Sheryl with Bernie on the other side and I snap the shutter. The picture is great. I
stroll though the crowd taking pictures and pick up bits of conversations. "What are you doing in
your community to get folks to support stem cell research?" and "Do you think your legislator will
support that legislation to criminalize stem cell research? Can you get the bill killed?" and "Can
you believe Dr. Hwang's presentation today? I can't believe Bernie got him to come here for this
conference in Houston and talk to us about his discoveries." It really is surrealistic.



Bernie shouts above the crowd, "It's time to come into the meeting room to have dinner." It's past
8:00 and we are getting kind of hungry. Lunch was a long time ago. I am still amazed at the
impressive group in the room. There are a number of premier scientists, researchers, ethicists and
stem cell advocates of our time here eating dinner together in Houston. And we are getting a chance
to visit with them on a personal level. They are folks just like us.... well almost like us. Once
again there is much laughter, many smiles and spirited conversation. The baked chicken dinner is
very good after a long day of exceptional presentations. I am sitting at a table with Idelle Datlof,
the Executive Director of the Stem Cell Action Network, her daughter Liana, Dr. Paul Fehlner and
Peter Ludwig, patent attorneys who will talk to us tomorrow, Dr Bill Brinkley who is the Dean of the
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine and two researchers who work
with Dr Hwang. I congratulate Dr Brinkley on the incredible support his staff has given GPI and
myself during the conference. Bernie told me how helpful they were in helping him make the Summit
such a success.



After dinner, Bernie stands at the front table where five beautiful, what appear to be, cut glass
awards are located. He says to us "This is a day you can tell your grand children about. Today you
will witness the awarding of the first Genetics Policy Institute's Special Honors to some very
deserving people." He told us about a group of folks in Texas called Texans for the Advancement of
Medical Research (TAMR). He told us how they took on the opponents of stem cell research in the
Texas legislature and kept some really bad legislation from passing. He then gave the Grass Roots
Advocacy Award to the TAMR Board of Directors. The award was received by the immediate Past
President, Beckie McCleery and the Current President Judy Haley. There are two dynamic ladies who
have accomplished much in the home state of our President despite his opposition. They were very
gracious in their acceptance speech telling us there is still a lot to do. Beckie mentioned that she
was so happy abpout the accomplishments of our South Korean brothers and sisters and that we are
cheering them on to future cures.



Bernie then told us about the achievements of the National Achievement Award winner, the Coalition
for the Advancement of Medical Research. This group was very influential in helping sway the
delegations at United Nations against supporting a total ban on embryonic stem cell research world
wide which was promoted by the Bush Administration. I am told that the administration was extremely
unhappy. Dan Perry accepted the award and commented that CAMR would carry on the fight to support
stem cell research.



The Patient Advocacy Award was given to Daniel Heumann who was paralyzed in a terrible car crash
when he was eighteen years old. He is now a motivational speaker who makes presentations across the
United States on stem cell research, one of which was made at the UN when Bernie was asked to
present the truth on issues related to stem cell research last year. Bernie told us all about the
accomplishments Daniel has had and what an inspiration he has been for many people.



Bernie then told us about a person that he felt was extremely influential on numerous fronts to help
things happen in the stem cell research arena. The award is called the Science and Public Policy
Impact Award and it was given to Dr. Gerald Schatten. Bernie told us that his personality was such
that he could get things accomplished that other people only dream of accomplishing. You could tell
that Bernie valued Dr Schatten's friendship and for what he had done. You would think that these two
fellows were brothers the way they were talking. Dr Schatten thanked Bernie and told us that we are
on the verge of some great discoveries and that the hope for cures will become reality. He stressed
that the laboratories abroad are moving ahead toward those discoveries and he mentioned the strong
bond that he and Dr. Hwang had established and that he looked forward to much collaboration with Dr.
Hwang and the South Korean researchers in the near future.



The last award was the GPI Global Achievement Award. This was given to Dr. Woo Suk Hwang of South
Korea. Bernie listed his vast accomplishments. They were so many we wondered when Dr Hwang had any
time to sleep. We were all so proud of what Dr. Hwang had accomplished to date, and yet when Dr
Hwang took the podium, you could tell that he was not going to rest on his laurels. Dr Hwang had a
very serious tone of voice and a furrowed brow. He said "Thank you very much for this award, but
there is still very much work to do. We cannot wait for cures for some terrible diseases that plague
millions of people. We cannot wait a year, we cannot wait a month, we cannot wait a day or an hour
or a second! We must stay focused on our goal to find cures. Our patients don't have any time to
wait." The flashbulbs were blinding and the video cameras were running. As Bernie said, this was
truly an historic day. After Dr. Hwang finished speaking, most of the attendees moved patiently to
shake his hand and get a picture with him. I was no different. I handed my camera to a new stem cell
advocate I just met this morning who was now my friend. He took my picture with Dr Hwang. This is a
picture I will add to my desk at the office. What A Weekend! And the conference is not even done
yet. It's now almost 11:00 PM and breakfast will start the day tomorrow at the Baylor Medical School
at 7:30 AM. Bernie has more presentations for us.



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As I write this journal in the Atlanta airport at 10:30 PM, I am told that my plane has been delayed
three hours. I am exhausted and yet enthused about the weekend I just experienced. I don't think I
will ever forget it. Tomorrow I go back to the office and play the role of an engineer I play during
the day and tomorrow night I will once again turn into a Stem Cell Advocate.



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P. S. I want to especially thank Bernie Siegel for putting this conference together and his very
capable staff: Sabrina Cohen, Eve Herold and Shane Smith. We hope that another Summit like this one
will be on Bernie's schedule for next year.


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