 |
 |
Claire gave you the site, I'm giving you their article. Diane is on vacation this week. PLEASE HELP NEW JERSEY Ray 379 Thursday, October 26, 2007 - NO REST FOR THE WEARY: Keep fighting for New Jersey! First, some good news: a recent poll shows a big leap in support for New Jersey's Stem Cell Research Bond Act. (donations can be sent to: www.njforhope.org.) "Voters set to approve stem cell research bonds By Editor - October 25, 2007 - 9:15am www.politicsNJ.com (10.26.07) "New Jersey voters are likely to pass a $450 million bond issue to finance stem cell research - by a 57%-36% margin -- according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll released today. Catholic voters support the referendum 48%-41%, while voters identified as evangelical or born-again Christians support it by a 48%-42% margin. Of the likely voters who oppose the referendum, 26% say they disagree with stem cell research on moral grounds, while 58% say the state can't afford the added debt. " That's wonderful, right? Up by 21 points? Yes. However. We don't dare relax. This is just one poll. I have not read it; I do not know what questions were asked. Two other polls show us losing by a slender margin. Caution is needed. One reason we are not home free yet could be that the poll is partly from Rutgers University, a major supporter of stem cell research. A poll from them could be like one from me. If I did a poll on stem cell research, my questions might be: "Are you in favor of using microscopic cells to save lives and ease suffering?" If I asked 100 people that question, I could probable get a pretty good result-"Don Reed poll finds 99% support for stem cell research!" But if the poll was done by a person who takes their information from anti-research sources, say, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, the questions would be more like: "Are you in favor of killing innocent babies to advance unproven science?" The same people might give a completely different answer: "Sam Brownback poll finds zero support for heathen burn-in-hell anti-life scientists!" Folks, let me tell you a story (oh, no, here he goes again)-there was an anti-abortion law offered in California, sounded very innocent: but the Parental Notification law contained a new definition of life which might have given anti-research forces another weapon to hit us with. If that bill passed, opponents of the research could have used it to sue and maybe stop embryonic stem cell research not only in California, but also in the entire country. They were twenty points up in the polls. I wrote some commercials pointing out the threat to stem cell research, which a kindly donor paid to have run in newspapers in crucial counties, A great scientist, Evan Snyder, and I even got to do a television spot as well. Maybe it was coincidence, but the numbers began to turn. The 20 point lead dwindled. Even so, the night before the election, some polls showed us losing-- and the morning after the election, a major Bay Area paper gave the victory to the opposition! Fortunately, they were wrong. The bill was defeated, and what could have been a major obstacle to the research was stopped. Polls are hints; that's all. Everything depends on you and me, and our friends: the advocates. It is up to us, nobody else will do the work. Perfect example: I wanted a first-hand account of the opening of the New Jersey Stem Cell Institute, and the Christopher Reeve Pavilion. This is one of the places where research will take place, if we win November 6. So I asked a friend, Claire Salomon, who was going to be there, if she would give me some brief impressions, thoughts, a paragraph or two. Here is her story, followed by an official press release. THE STEM CELL INSTITUTE of NEW JERSEY -Christopher Reeve Pavilion The Mission of the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey is to carry out research, training, and clinical studies on the application of stem cells to the treatment and cure of human diseases. The groundbreaking ceremony was Tuesday , 10/23 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Construction of the Institute should take 2 1/2 years. In the late 1990's, (Benjamin Reeve's) brother Christopher was in D.C. and he went to see a certain Senator from KANSAS to try and persuade him on his stand of a particular Bill. (Note from Don: this is almost certain Sam Brownback, whose anti-SCNT legislation included jail terms for scientists. The Senator has tried numerous times to pass that bill, including this year.) Christopher commented that if it was him sitting behind that desk and the Senator was in the wheelchair, it might be the Senator hoping for the cure. One of the speakers said, "When Tricia Riccio hugs her (paralyzed) son, Carl-- we want her to feel his hug back." For those who do not know me, I live in New Jersey and I have Parkinson's disease. My son lives in California and is healthy. As I sat, there, my son had his arm around my shoulder, and squeezed me a little tighter. We looked at each other as a tear rolled down our cheeks. I would like to say to all the people who do not support SCR - What happens when your baby, spouse, Mom, or maybe your Dad, the best dad in the world-- gets sick or injured-- and the doctor tells you, "It's incurable"?! Imagine how terrible you would feel. But what if, a few years later , Stem Cell Research (SCR) comes up with a cure. Would you refuse it? Now is the time to support all SCR. My $21 went in the mail today to www.njforhope.org. Don. My arms hurt. I can't write any more right now. Claire Some might say, I should not be asking favors of people with a terrible condition like Parkinson's, who have troubles and pain far beyond my understanding. But Claire Salomon is a warrior. She will not be defined by her medical condition-- and we are lost without individuals like her. Folks, the battle for New Jersey is not over. Please do just a little bit more. We need that victory, half a billion dollars for stem cell research-it is winnable, but not yet won-- and that means please do everything in your power to help. Like click on the following button and send a couple bucks, and harass friends and neighbors to do the same. www.njforhope.org. P.S. Here is Claire's list of some of the big names who were there, followed by the official news release of the event. Thanks, Claire. The Honorable Jon S. Corzine, Governor of the State of New Jersey The Honorable Richard J. Codey, President, New Jersey State Senate The Honorable Neil M Cohen, Deputy Speaker, NJ State Assembly William F. Owen, Jr., MD, President, University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ Phillip Furmanski, PhD, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Rutgers, The State University Joseph R. Bertino, MD, Univ. Prof. of Medicine and Pharacology, Interium Dir. of The Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey Benjamin Reeve, Brother of Christopher Reeve Peter Kierman, Chair, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Richard Schmidt, NJ State Cordinator, Parkinson Action Network (PAN) And the official newsrelease: Governor Corzine Joins Officials for Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey Groundbreaking Ceremony - Christopher Reeve Pavilion Unveiled - Located adjacent to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and across from the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the facility will encompass 160,000 square feet in a multi-story tower across five floors when completed. The Institute is a joint venture between Rutgers University and the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. "With today's groundbreaking of the first of many stem cell research facilities in New Jersey, we continue down the path of discovering cures and healing human suffering," said Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Union). "We are at a critical juncture in the history of science and New Jersey is seizing the moment by providing the facilities where the best and brightest minds can unlock the promise of stem cell therapies. Patients throughout New Jersey and around the world will reap the benefits of these unprecedented investments in stem cell research." Last fall, Governor Corzine signed into law a bill providing $270 million to build research facilities. In June, nearly $9.2 million in predevelopment funding was approved for the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick, the first to be approved from the $270 million authorized under legislation signed by Governor Corzine. New Jersey's stem cell research initiative is a multi-faceted effort to create and build a vibrant stem cell research community that will develop innovative treatments for patients and generate economic opportunity and job growth in New Jersey. A report released yesterday by Rutgers University indicates that New Jersey stands to gain nearly $2.2 billion in economic benefits from its stem cell research investments. The study also estimates that the state can expect to benefit from approximately 30,000 new jobs and $115 million in additional state revenue from New Jersey's stem cell research initiative. In addition, in July, Governor Corzine signed the New Jersey Stem Cell Research Bond Act, a $450 million bond referendum that will provide financing for stem cell research grants to eligible institutions over a 10 year period. The Stem Cell Research Bond Act, upon approval by voters in November, authorizes the sale of State general obligation funds in the amount of $450 million over 10 years. Don Reed www.stemcellbattles.com P.S. Also, don't forget the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, the organization that funds research like a large country, click on: http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=1F187E2C-DA00-4F53-ABEB32B77DC12313. and remember, the Walk for a Cure... I am walking on October 28, 2007 in Walnut Creek, CA along with one-half million other walkers across the country, as we try to reach our goal of raising $100 million. Check out Don's collection gage, and help me help the JDRF find a cure for Diabetes! Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn