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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --part0_913062854_boundary Content-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII If anyone wants to use any language from my e-mail to Senator Frist, please feel free. Keith Chancey 46/14 months Memphis, TN --part0_913062854_boundary Content-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline From: [log in to unmask] Return-path: <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Cc: [log in to unmask] Subject: Federal Funding for Stem Cell Research Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 12:44:10 EST Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Thank you very much for your November 23 letter. I was excited to learn i= n the letter of your key role regarding the research priority-setting proces= s at the NIH. It is the reason why I am writing you today. On December 2, Dr. Harold Varmus, Director of the NIH, told a Senate heari= ng of the vast potential research with human embryonic cells holds. It was widely reported in the media that these "stem cells" could possibly be cultivated into nerve and brain cells to treat Parkinson=92s disease which= I was diagnosed with in September 1997. When asked by Senator Spector how long = it would be before treatments using the cells might be available, two other scientists estimated anywhere from 5 to 12 years. Unfortunately, the NIH cannot fund any of this research unless the federal ban on financing embry= o research is lifted. I understand there are difficult ethical questions involved with this subj= ect. The notion of using aborted fetuses for scientific research is abhorrent t= o many citizens. However, Dr. Varmus said the stem cells can=92t be conside= red organisms and they can=92t be considered embryos, so the matter requires s= pecial consideration. I hope for the sake of all who could benefit from the potential promise of stem cell research that some compromise can be made i= n good conscience and federal funds are made available for this research. Senator Frist, this is a critical juncture in Parkinson=92s research. The= Udall Act provides a significant increase in federal funding for Parkinson=92s research. The recent announcements regarding stem cell research and its tremendous potential for, among other things, treating Parkinson=92s disea= se are exciting to everyone suffering from this terrible disease. If current law= s continue to prohibit federal funds from being used to finance stem cell research, the cure for Parkinson=92s disease will be delayed indefinitely. Please don=92t let this happen. Sincerely, Keith Chancey 3008 Iroquois Road Memphis, TN 38111-2520 --part0_913062854_boundary--