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Lorraine, I invite you an anyone on the list to email me about your own life and accomplishments. This is not a contest, but an attempt on my part to acquaint us with each other. I face PD alone with my dog, Spike, and computer. It helps me to get to know all the fine people on this List and to learn about what they have done and are doing to advance our cause. Don't be shy, please let me hear from you, Ray [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sidney Jeffe" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 12:15 PM Subject: Re: The Best Possible Life - Nina Brown's Story > Your tribute to Nina Brown was well statred.She truly is an amazing > person. > > I think it was 1996 that I met NIna and her husband at a PAN FORUM.It was > the first one for both of us.She had recently put together a fund raiser > on very short notice,when she learned Mohammend Ali would be in Texas.It > ,of course, was a big success..I was impressed then and I still am.She is > indeed special. > > Lorraine Jeffe > > rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The Best Possible Life - Nina Brown's Story: > Nina Brown's most important and heroic achievement in years of Parkinson's > disease advocacy was the result of being part of a small grassroots group > responsible for stopping the criminalization of embyronic stem cell > research > in Texas. This petite, attractive grandmother, along with husband, Joe, > was active in defending science against religious ideology in Texas. They > took on opponents of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) and gave us all a > victory in the war on science!! > > Her belief that "circumstances determine our lives, but we shape our lives > by what we make of our circumstances" is not only her email signature, but > has been the hallmark of her actions since her diagnosis of PD in 1985 at > age 45 and her subsequent education of the general community about > Parkinson's Disease. > > In 1997, Nina became active with the Parkinson's Action Network (PAN), > www.parkinsonsaction.org, a national organization whose primary objective > is > to educate and advocate for funding for Parkinson's research. Today she is > a Texas State Coordinator for PAN. > > In 2003, a PAN member saw Texas HB 1175 online and phoned Nina and Joe > Brown, asking them to look at the legislation. She and Joe have made > numerous trips from Houston to the state capitol to advocate against that > bill and other legislation which would have criminalized ESCR in Texas. > Nina has drawn upon all her inner reserves and spirit to educate and > advance > the cause of all forms of stem cell research, including embryonic stem > cell > research. The effort has proven to be so effective that no bill > criminalizing embryonic stem cell research has made it to either house of > the Texas legislature. > > Because of this accomplishment and their activities at the national level, > Nina and Joe received the Milly Kondracke Award for Outstanding Advocacy > by > PAN at the 2004 Morris Udall Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. > > Another important outcome of the Browns' advocacy efforts was the > establishment of Texans for Advancement of Medical Research (TAMR) > www.txamr.org. This organization, co-founded in 2003 by the Browns and a > few others is composed of scientists, physicians, ethicists, leading > health > groups, and individuals who support biological research in regenerative > medicine. > > "This group cuts across diseases as well as economic, religious and > political lines", Nina explains. > > "Our purpose is to raise public awareness on the issues surrounding > regenerative biomedical research. We will continue to educate our public > officials in Texas and advocate for all those whose health depends on it. > Our organization is inclusive. It consists of Jews, Protestants, > Catholics, > and all those who believe this is a health issue, not a religious issue." > > To further that end, another group focusing on education rather than > advocacy, The Alliance for Medical Research, was established. Nina is > Secretary and a Founding Board Member. TAMR-ed has produced an outstanding > video "Regenerative Medicine - Pathways to Cures" (www.tamr-ed.org). > Nina appears in it and co-wrote this excellent explanation of IVF embryos > and SCNT. > > Nina, a Vice President of the Houston Area Parkinson's Society (HAPS), > www.hapsonline.org just received their annual "Quality of Life" award > October 30, 2006 at a luncheon for over 350 people. This award is given to > a person with Parkinson's (PWP) who has made the most of their quality of > life while living with the challenges of PD. HAPS is dedicated to > improvement of quality of life for PWP and caregivers (CGs) with support > and > therapy groups, transportation to physician visits, social services, > education, etc. > > Opponents of embryonic stem cell research are not content to get out of > the > way of science and refuse any treatments that might become available from > this research. Right now they are redoubling their efforts to thwart and > criminalize it, calling Michael J. Fox a "cannibal", an advocate in > Missouri > a "babykiller, " and the rest of us "vampires". > > Nina's contribution is one that far surpasses the quality of her own life; > it affects everyone in the world who suffers from hideous diseases or > ghastly disorders. The fight is far from over. We are so blessed to have > this truly pro-life champion on our side. Her magnificent spirit has > empowered me. I hope you feel it too. > > Ray > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn