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State Representative David R, Leitch has done a remarkable job in not only using the language but also the pursuasion to have HB 1843 pass unanomiously in both the State House and the State Senate and to be signed into law by Governer Rod Balagojevich in time to take effect on 01-01-04. Illinois' pregnant women will be asked if they would like to donate their cord blood for stem cell use and research.This program, which costs the mother-to-be nothing but her consent, can retreive the millions of stem cells which are routinely tossed as medical waste.These stem cells are used worldwide for bone marrow transplants, for curing dozens of childhood diseases and are being found increasingly effective in treating adult diseases. As if this isn't enought encouragment to donate your cord blood, consider this: cord blood transplants (unless there is a direct family match) are superior to convential bone marrow transplants. With conventional transplants, donor searches take up to 3-4 months, odds are slim of success and the process is painful for donors and recipients. Rejection (or what is called graft and host disease) is about 30%, compared to less than 10% with cord blood. Cord blood is also cheaper ($15,300 per unit versus $30,000 conventionally). In a study by the Illinois Dept. of Public Aid, it was determied that by using cord blood stem cells rather than bone marrow in transplants for the four-year period from 1999-2002, Medicare and you, the taxpayer, could have saved $14,494,000.00. So, I was thrilled when Representative Leitch called me and asked me to help him begin the job of educating the public as to the need for cord blood donations and the difference they will make if harvested rather than destroyed. To this end, we are holding an evening of food, entertainment and education to be held on Saturday, February 28th begining at 5pm and held at 3 Sisters Park which is located on Rt.29 almost into Chillicothe, IL. The goal of this event will be to change the public's preception that "stem cells"= "baby-killing," that it is in all of our best interests to promote and get others interested in participating in this program (we are inviting lots of doctors, og-gyn's, downstate hospital administrators, and the human resource personell from large employers in the area as well as many advocates from all over the country representing all types of different neurological diseases). To help us in getting the word out, we have the help of Mitch Lechelt from the Open Doors Project http://www.opendoorscd.org/Content/about.htm who will also be providing some of the entertainment for the evening and including an insert telling about the law and its' potential in all cd's which are sald nationwide. We are also working to interface with PLWP http://www.plwp.org/ and their on-going "baby jack project." Any one is welcome to attend this informational evening and to learn more about this process which has the blessing of the Catholic Church and right to life groups as well as pro-choicers. If you would like to attend the dinner and the entertainment portion of the evening, you need to get a reservation by calling (309-579-3026) or emailing me. Wouldn't this be wonderful if it became a part of the normal routine for birthing?? -- 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) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn