On 2-16-05 almost 2 years ago Mrs. Payne spoke of entering Levesque's Phase II. as I reported in April 2006 Phase II was stalled. I found this with Diane's help. Will still look for up-to-date info on her. Ray TESTIMONY OF PATRICIA PAYNE TO THE COMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS JOINT COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AGAINST SB 25 - AN ACT PROMOTING STEM CELL RESEARCH State House, Boston, February 16, 2005 I am here accompanied by Richard, my husband of 40 years, and wish to speak to you: First, as a MOTHER of five children committed to bringing LIFE rather than DEATH into our world; Second, as a PARKINSON'S DISEASE PATIENT of 14 years who was recently accepted into a breakthrough Parkinson's research and therapy project. One of many successful Adult Stem Cell programs; Third, as a FELLOW HUMAN BEING. One who believes in respecting the SACRED DIGNITY of every human being and who believes in protecting life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. I want to state in the strongest terms that I am committed to using only good medicine in pursuit of a cure for my disease. As you can see, I am suffering immensely from my Parkinson's, and from the bone disintegration around my lower spine, which floods my whole body with constant pain. How I want to relieve my suffering; especially of the body which I carefully conditioned for years as a classical dancer. But my suffering isn't the real issue! The real issue is what we are being asked to do in the hope of relieving our suffering. In Embryonic Stem Cell research, an embryonic human being is sacrificed in order to get a hold of embryonic stem cells. I don't want to see cures, even a cure for my terrible disease, to be obtained by destroying a fellow human being at their earliest and most vulnerable stage of their existence. We have been led to believe that only embryonic stem cells have shown any promise in treating human disease. This is false! The truth is - Adult Stem Cells have treated and cured literally tens of thousands of people with almost 100 different diseases. How many people have been cured of ANY disease using Embryonic Stem Cells? The answer is ZERO! NONE! Instead, the history of Embryonic Stem Cell research is replete with monstrous tumors, tissue rejections, and immune reactions. Parkinson's disease is associated with a progressive cell-loss of mid-brain dopamine-secreting neurons. Mature neurons derived from a patient's own brain tissue can be multiplied and transplanted back to the brain safely, greatly diminishing Parkinsonian symptoms. Soon I will participate in Phase Two of Dr. Michel Levesque's FDA approved and dramatically successful Adult Stem Cell research and therapy program. Dr. Levesque is a world-renowned specialist in Parkinson's, a physician, neuroscientist and neurosurgeon based at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. As a result of Phase-One of Dr. Levesque's project, Dennis Turner, a 60-year old retired nuclear engineer was relieved of 80% of his symptoms. This resulted from increased dopamine, released from millions of healthy neurons that were morphed from his own brain tissue, and transplanted back into his brain. I am making available to you the transcript of Dr. Levesque's recent testimony to the U.S. Congress along with an article on his Adult Stem Cell research published in Readers Digest. We have to revere and protect human life, in all its forms, especially in its smallest, most hidden and most vulnerable of forms. My husband edited the famous worldwide classic-best-seller entitled "Hope for the Flowers", an illustrated fable describing the metamorphosis of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. Remember that even though caterpillars look nothing like butterflies, that without caterpillars there would be no butterflies. You and I were once caterpillar like. We were embryos. All of our children were once embryos. There is a universal moral law, which transcends history and culture, and is a characteristic principle of high civilization. It is that "the end does not justify the means." To kill one human being for the benefit of another is never morally justifiable. To kill the weak in order to benefit the strong is even more objectionable. Please choose a good, not an evil means for helping those who suffer. The choice is not between science and ethics, but between a science that is ethically responsible and a science that is not. I pray that you will do GOD'S WILL and choose life and good medicine rather than death and evil medicine. Copyright © Massachusetts Citizens For Life, Inc. 2002 - 2003 Schrafft Center . 529 Main Street . Boston, MA 02129-1100 617-242-4199 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn