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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) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn