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I have just returned from a most extraordinary and energizing two days at the Stem Cell Action Network's First International Stem Cell Conference. I learned over the last few months a lesson that I had largely forgotten over the last couple of years. I experienced once again that remarkable things can be produced by a few people with passion who work hard to realize a dream. The Stem Cell Action Network grew out of the determination of a patient with MS living in Cincinnati, a bio-ethicist living in Berkeley, a businessman living with diabetes, a graduate student who founded a student stem cell organization, and a '60s grass-roots organizer whose daughter has type 1 diabetes, and a veteran of the Texas stem cell wars. There were a few others, including a man whose brother has Parkinson's. And there was an extraordinary lawyer from Miami who a couple of years ago was busily tending to his law practice when he saw reports of a cult claiming to have cloned a human being. He was so flabbergasted and outraged that he sued the Raelians under child protection laws to force them to produce the claimed cloned child. By last week he had learned enough about stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer that he led a delegation of scientists and advocacy groups, including the South Koreans who produced a human stem cell through SCNT, to make the ca! se for therapeutic cloning at the United Nations. I don't really remember how I got sucked into this enterprise. It may have been a call from the bio-ethicist, Ray Barglow. It may have been an e-mail from Idell Datlof in Cincinnati. Whatever it was, before we knew it Ann and I were doing what we could to organize this Stem Cell Action Conference. Ann and I were already working for PAN, were pushing a Parkinson's registry bill through the California legislature, helping to keep Deborah Ortiz's landmark stem cell legislation alive and funded, and we're furiously planning our wedding. And although I was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm of the organizing members, I admit to being somewhat doubtful eventual success of the conference. How all these people came together is too long a story to tell I'm not sure that I would have the details right. Suffice to say that although these people were not inexperienced in patient activism, they had undertaken a task for which even the most seasoned event organizers could not be blamed had they failed. They sought to attract top-notch scientists, ethicists, grass-roots leaders, and people with the kind of firepower that could attract 300 or more people to a student union building at UC Berkeley for two days of science, politics, and advocacy training. The fact that they not only did not fall flat on their faces, but produced an out and out inspiring success, is a testament to the power of the belief in the importance of a cause, and willingness to work hard to make a difference. By the time the conference was over this afternoon, I had heard Dr. Irving Weisman of Stanford, Dr. Thomas O'Karma, CEO of Geron Corp., both preeminent in their fields, provide clear and understandable explanations of the importance of SCNT and embryonic stem cell research. I heard bio-ethicists from UC Berkeley and The Center for Theology and Natural Sciences. I watched a personal message to the conference taped by Christopher Reeve. I heard Bernard Siegel described making the case before the United Nations on therapeutic cloning. I heard Dan Perry, current president of CAMR, discuss politics and power in the world of chronic illness, and I heard Robert Klein, who is a leading force behind the Stem cell initiative in California, which promises to take center stage in the stem cell struggle over the coming months. More than that, I saw hundreds of people from all over the country gathered together to press the fight to keep vital stem cell research alive and well in this country. Ordinary folks that do extraordinary things with their time because of their beliefs and their passion. People who scraped together the money to buy a plane ticket to be a part of this event because they believed that it was important. And because of their belief that it was important, it became important. News media began to show up, participants were interviewed, and as I looked at the faces of the people at the tables I saw that they were enthusiastic, passionate, and ready to get on with the business of making this country a safe place to conduct legitimate scientific inquiry. I saw something close to a miracle occur. I saw a movement being born. I can't wait for it to take its next step. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger