Tennessee Right to Life

Huckabee Wins Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:15:00 +0000

Governor Mike Huckabee won the Tennessee Republican Presidential primary on Tuesday on the support of pro-life voters across the state. According to the exit polls, Huckabee won 39% among those who believe that abortion should be illegal.

“Pro-life voters supported three strong candidates but ultimately the victory went to Governor Huckabee who has an unparalleled record of direct, measurable actions resulting in laws passed and lives saved,” said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life. “Tennessee Right to Life expresses great appreciation to the many chapter leaders, donors, and volunteers who went the extra mile for tonight’s win.”

Tennessee Right to Life endorsed Huckabee last Monday citing his strong pro-life credentials.

"We encourage our friends, families and neighbors in other states to have the courage of their convictions and to stand with Governor Huckabee who has a demonstrated record of acting on behalf of those who have no other advocates.”

Seventy-six percent of the Tennessee Republicans identified themselves as pro-life.

Huckabee In Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Mike Huckabee visited Nashville yesterday holding a campaign rally at the airport before visiting Legislative Plaza. More from First Read:

As the Florida GOP race crescendos into tomorrow's primary, Mike Huckabee is in Music City hoping to drum up support for a strong showing on Super Tuesday. Former Fred Thompson territory, Tennessee could be fertile ground for the governor, who picked up the endorsement of the state's Right to Life group and met with legislators in Nashville today.

Florida, says the Southern son, ain't no thang.

"I don't think that tomorrow is the turning point in the road," Huckabee told reporters today. The Huckabee campaign has tried to downplay the Florida results, saying that focus on the Sunshine State is largely a creation of the media.

In Music City, where he will twang his own bass guitar later this afternoon, Huckabee has stayed away from the noisy feud playing out between John McCain and Mitt Romney in Florida. Asked if the back-and-forth between the two frontrunners helps or hurts him, Huckabee gave a typically mischevious response. " If it hurts them, tell them to mix up some more mud and get it going," he said. " If it hurts me, tell them to stop that nonsense and start behaving like adults today."

Tennessee Right to Life Endorses Mike Huckabee

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:42:00 +0000

Excitement Among Grassroots, Unparalleled Record of Pro-Life Leadership Chief Factors in Decision Tennessee Right to Life announces today, Jan. 28, 2008, the group's endorsement of Governor Mike Huckabee for the February 5 Presidential primary. The strength of Governor Huckabee's public record on matters concerning the protection of human life and strong support among the organization's grassroots members were key to making the decision.

"The beauty of a grassroots organization is that your members set the priorities," said Brian Harris, president of the state's oldest and largest pro-life organization. "For pro-life Tennesseans, the election of a sincere, proven pro-life president is paramount," said Harris. "Our members recognize Mike Huckabee as 'one of us' and that enthusiasm is driven by his demonstrated record of leadership and sacrifice toward the shared cause of protecting life," said Harris.
In particular, Governor Huckabee's pro-life leadership as Lt. Governor and Governor in Arkansas resulted in the following protective polices:

Passage of the Arkansas Unborn Child Amendment
Ban of Partial Birth Abortion
Parental Notification for minor daughters seeking abortion
Informed Consent for Women considering abortion
Unborn Child Pain Awareness provision
Unborn Victims of Violence Act

Governor Huckabee also supports ethical stem cell research but opposes destructive embryonic stem cell research. He was the second governor in the country to sign into law a ban on Human Cloning.

"What I accomplished as Governor proves that there is a lot more that a pro-life President can do than wait for a Supreme Court vacancy, and I will do everything I can to promote a pro-life agenda and pass pro-life legislation," said Huckabee. " If I am saddled with a Democrat Congress, I'll veto any pro-abortion legislation they pass. I will staff all relevant positions with pro-life appointees. I will use the Bully Pulpit to change hearts and minds, to move this country from a culture of death to a culture of life.

Tennessee Right to Life urges concerned pro-life Tennesseans of every political background to actively support the election of a demonstrated pro-life leader who will make pro-life protections a priority. For more information, contact Tennessee Right to Life toll free 1-877 Choose Life or www.tnrtl.org.

Post Abortion Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:18:00 +0000

An article at LifeScript looks at Post Abortion Syndrome from a personal perspective:

Post abortion syndrome (PAS) is a relatively new term that describes certain characteristics women have after an elective abortion. The symptoms are very similar to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as seen in war veterans or anyone who has gone through a traumatic experience. These reactions can include symptoms linked to intrusion, hyper-arousal, avoidance and disassociation. All of these stem from either the abortion itself, the decision to have an abortion or the numerous circumstances surrounding the final decision to have the procedure done.

Now, PAS is not an official disorder, but experts have recognized it as a "psychological stressor" very closely linked to PTSD. In 1981, Vincent Rue, a psychotherapist, was the first to recognize the similarities between the post abortion women he treated and some Viet Nam Veterans he also had in his care. Of course, this raised a huge controversy and Rue was warned he'd be subject to legal action if he didn't include a disclaimer that there wasn't clinical evidence that PAS actually existed.

The real kicker is that some mental health experts will say abortion is a harmless experience and that PAS is a myth started by the groups opposing abortion. From what I've seen in my friend and other women who have chosen to terminate a pregnancy, coping with abortion can have long-term mental consequences that might not show up immediately. Regardless of whether you see abortion as a personal choice or a mortal sin, the fact is that it does have an emotional impact on the women who experience them and can be as debilitating as depression or any other mental disorder.

The full article describes her personal experience with a friend who had an abortion.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 00:14:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from everyone here at TRL!

See BB Angelo and 'B'Attitudes

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:48:00 +0000

Don't get bit by the "Bah-Hum-Bug" this Christmas! Start the season off right...at Breakfast With An Angel on Saturday December 1st at 9:00am at Cofer's Chapel, 3915 Franklin Road in Nashville.

Breakfast With an Angel is sponsored by Nashville Right to Life and features BB Angelo and the "B"Attitudes in a Christmas program that reminds us that Jesus is the Reason for the season! Tickets are $5 per person with a maximum of $20 per household; all proceeds benefit Nashville Right to Life.

To order tickets or for more information, call 615-406-0713 or click here. Bring the whole family to Breakfast With an Angel Saturday December 1st at 9:00 am at Cofer's Chapel-or get that fly swatter ready! Food provided by Cracker Barrel and Krispy Kreme. Tickets will be available at the door.

Can't attend? Click Here to Make An Online Donation to Nashville Right to Life.

Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:10:00 +0000

Researchers announced Tuesday that they created stem cells without destroying an embryo:

Both teams call the new cells induced pluripotent stem cells and say they look and act like embryonic stem cells -- the master cells that give rise to every cell and tissue in the body.

"We can now envisage a time when a simple approach can be used to produce stem cells that are able to form any tissue from a small sample taken from any of us," Ian Wilmut of the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement.

Both teams used just four genes to transform ordinary skin cells called fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells -- iPS cells for short.

"We are now in a position to be able to generate patient- and disease- specific stem cells, without using human eggs or embryos," Yamanaka said in a statement.

"These cells should be useful in understanding disease mechanisms, searching for effective and safe drugs, and treating patients with cell therapy," he added.
"Similar to human embryonic cells, human iPS cells should prove useful for studying the development and function of human tissues, for discovering and testing new drugs, and for transplantation medicine," added Thomson, whose team first discovered human embryonic stem cells in 1998.

RELATED STORY:How it could benefit the GOP

Breaking Down An Endorsement

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:36:00 +0000

Dave Andrusko at National Right to Life pens a column looking at the endorsement of Fred Thompson in more detail:

Not only was the NRLC board’s decision in favor of Thompson overwhelming, because those board members come directly from grassroots state and local organizations, it means the endorsement reflected the cumulative judgment of a wide swathe of our Movement, not Washington “insiders.”

In the judgment of our board Thompson best met the three criteria it established for endorsement: (1) the position of candidates on the life issues, (2) their records on the life issues, and (3) and their ability to win. The board of NRLC believes Thompson has the best chance of thwarting pro-abortion Rudy Giuliani in the GOP presidential primary and would be the strongest opponent for whichever militant pro-abortion emerges from the Democratic Party.

In the past 24 hours some have unfortunately suggested there are other considerations, but, in fact, there were none. The decision was straightforward and in harmony with NRLC’s guiding light-- we don't just want to make a statement; we want to make a difference in advancing the cause of life.

Legal Definitions

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Colorado for Equal Rights can now move forward with its efforts to redefine the term "person" in the Colorado state constitution to include unborn individuals. Once they get the requisite number of signatures, the initiative will appear on the 2008 general election ballot.

From the story:

[The law] would grant personhood to the unborn from the moment of fertilization, meaning state and local laws protecting any individual life would be applied to the unborn. It targets a loophole U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun created when he wrote the original abortion opinion.

He concluded: "(If the) suggestion of personhood [of the preborn] is established, the [abortion rights] case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment."

"Colorado, which regrettably was in the forefront of the movement to deny the right to life to millions of the unborn, has now taken the first step to restore the right to life to all Americans, regardless of age, dependency, national origin or condition," said John Archibold, a founder of Colorado Right to Life as well as National Right to Life.

NRLC Endorses Fred Thompson

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:27:00 +0000

The National Right to Life Committee has endorsed our fellow Tennessean, Fred Thompson, for the Republican presidential nomination:

“As the first major grassroots organization to enter the Republican presidential race, National Right to Life is proud to endorse Fred Thompson,” stated Wanda Franz, Ph.D., president of National Right to Life. “Our endorsement is a testament to Senator Thompson’s long-standing pro-life record, his commitment to unborn children, and our belief in his ability to win.”

Fred Thompson has had a strong, consistent pro-life record throughout his political career. Thompson opposes abortion and believes the 1973 abortion on demand Supreme Court decision was wrongly decided and must be reversed. During his eight years in the United States Senate, he always opposed using tax dollars to promote or pay for abortion and supported the many pro-life measures such as parental notice and consent.

Thompson has also stated his opposition to the kind of stem cell research that requires killing human embryos, while supporting the kind of stem cell research that harms no one and is the only kind producing cures.

"I'm deeply appreciative for the past support by the National Right to Life Committee-PAC in my Senate campaigns, and today I am blessed and grateful to have received their endorsement for President of the United States," Thompson said in a statement. "In supporting me, those who have worked tirelessly to defend life are supporting a consistent conservative who has stood with them yesterday, who stands with them today, and will stand with them tomorrow."

NJ Stem Cell Vote Fails

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:49:00 +0000

Yesterday was Election Day, and on the ballot in New Jersey was a measure to fund embryonic stem cell research. While Right-to-Life groups were unsuccessful in trying to block the ballot proposal, it didn't matter:

New Jersey voters rejected a $450 million bond measure to fund stem-cell research, a defeat for Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, who backed the proposal with his own money and advocated on its behalf.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, the question was defeated by 53 percent to 47 percent, according to nj.com, a Web site affiliated with the Star-Ledger of Newark. The measure would have authorized the state to borrow as much as $45 million annually for 10 years to fund scientists' work in the field.

Adult Stem Cells Treat Skin Disease

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:09:00 +0000

Medical researchers at the University of Minnesota are pioneering a clinical treatment that involves transplanting adult stem cells:

University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital physicians reported performing the first bone marrow and cord blood transplant to treat recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, or RDEB.

Using a mouse model -- and in collaboration with investigators at Columbia University and the University of Minnesota -- researchers corrected the disease using bone marrow. They then determined which human adult stem cells would give rise to the development of type VII collagen -- the protein RDEB victims lack.

The boy received both umbilical cord blood and bone marrow from a perfectly matched sibling. Doctors anticipate being able to judge whether the treatment was successful by early next year.

Survivor

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:12:00 +0000

There is a good story in the Daily Mail about a pair of twins, one of whom had pre-birth complications. But when they attempted to abort him, he miraculously survived...

Planned Parenthood and Criminal Behavior

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:21:00 +0000

Andrew Flusche at the American Life League has a piece looking at criminal charges filed against Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and a little background into the history of the national organization:

Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri currently faces 107 criminal charges stemming from 29 alleged unlawful late-term abortions. Even though a Johnson County district judge found probable cause that Planned Parenthood committed these crimes, the organization claims the charges are simply political. But is a pattern of illegal activity starting to emerge? Are we starting to connect the dots?

During its 2005-2006 fiscal year, Planned Parenthood reported a total income of $902.8 million. To provide perspective, this is more than the combined revenues during the same period for the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association. In Planned Parenthood’s almost-billion-dollar budget, $305.3 million came from you, the taxpayers.

In 2002, Diana Lopez bled to death after her cervix was punctured during an abortion at the Los Angeles Planned Parenthood. The California Department of Health Services cited Planned Parenthood for seven separate violations of health regulations, including failing to notify the health department of Ms. Lopez’s death within 24 hours. The other citations centered on failing to properly prepare for the procedure, advise the patient of risks and keep sufficient records about Ms. Lopez.

While Planned Parenthood would claim this was an isolated incident, the facts say otherwise. Earlier this year, 21-year-old Edrica Goode died from toxic shock after beginning an abortion procedure through Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties. The California Department of Health Services again filed a deficiency ruling against Planned Parenthood for failing to report Ms. Goode’s death within 24 hours. After repeating this same violation, it begins to look like Planned Parenthood does not respect medical regulations.

Planned Parenthood was required to turn over 29 patient files for a government investigation. During the investigation, the Johnson County district attorney determined that all 29 files revealed an unlawful late-term abortion.

Read the whole thing and help us defund Planned Parenthood

Another Source of Adult Stem Cells

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:50:00 +0000

More advancements in stem cell research where researchers have found another source of adult stem cells that may hold the potential for clinical use:

For the first time, researchers have found stem cells within the intervertebral discs of the human spine.

They say it may someday be possible to use these stem cells to help repair degenerating discs in order to treat neck and lower back pain.

He noted that other researchers have used bone marrow stem cells to create new bone, cartilage and fat tissue.

"Our next step is to activate these disc stem cells and get them to repopulate the disc and make proteoglycans and restore the water binding," Shapiro said.

While the stem cells are present in degenerated discs, the researchers suspect there may be molecules blocking stem cell activity that could repair the discs. They said further research is required to learn more about these inhibitory molecules and to find ways to block their activity and promote natural healing of damaged discs.

Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:17:00 +0000

Two pro-life activists will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year, Congressman Henry Hyde and Cuban physician and activist Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet.

Per LifeNews.com, Henry Hyde is a former congressman and author of the Hyde Amendment:

Hyde was first elected to the House in 1974 and served as chairman of the House International Relations Committee and the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001.

In those positions, Hyde advanced pro-life legislation and worked to stop using taxpayer dollars to subsidize abortions in other countries.

Hyde's lasting legacy will be the federal Hyde amendment, which has prevented federal tax dollars from being used to fund almost all abortions since the 1976. The Supreme Court heard a case in 1980 challenging the law and upheld it as constitutional.

Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet is a Cuban physician who spoke out against Castro's government and refused to do abortions in his country and is currently serving 22 years in prison:

Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1961, Biscet received his degree as a specialist in internal medicine, and, by 1987, he was practicing and teaching obstetrics at the Hijas de Galicia hospital in the nation's capital city.

In the early 1990s, the drug Rivanol was being used to provide young Cuban women with chemically induced abortions, Raimundo Rojas, the Hispanic Outreach Director for National Right to Life, tells LifeNews.com.

Dr. Biscet began researching and compiling evidence as to how this strong abortifacient was being used to destroy children. He also documented many accounts of children being killed after surviving this type of abortion.

Biscet eventually wrote a paper titled "Rivanol: A Method to Destroy Life," that he published in April 1998. Later that year, he denounced the Cuban National Health System as being a party to genocide, Rojas said.

Shortly thereafter, the nation's health system officially expelled Biscet, preventing him from practicing medicine in Cuba.

"He was tried and sentenced to three years in jail for simply stating the truth," Rojas told LifeNews.com.

Biscet served the entirety of his three year term.

One month after his release, Dr. Biscet was arrested while meeting with other dissidents in a private home. He was again savagely beaten and this time sentenced to 25 years in jail, Rojas explained.

"His torture at the hands of Castro's henchmen is well documented and he continues to speak from his cell for the dignity of all life including that of the unborn," Rojas says.

U.S. Senate to vote on federal funding of abortion

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:37:00 +0000

This is a congressional alert from the National Right to Life Committee (Federal Legislation Department), issued on Monday, October 29.

WASHINGTON (October 29, 2007) -- As early as this week, the U.S. Senate will cast an important vote on federal funding of abortion.

The Senate is expected to take up S. 1200, a bill to make extensive changes to the laws governing federal health programs for American Indians, which are administered by the Indian Health Service.

Some years ago, federal Indian Health Service (IHS) funds were used to provide abortion on demand. That is not occurring at the present, but it is necessary to amend the permanent law to ensure that it does not occur again in the future. That goal would be achieved by an amendment that pro-life Senator David Vitter (R-La.) intends to offer when the Senate takes up S. 1200.

The Vitter Amendment is similar to the Hyde Amendment, but would permanently apply to the IHS. If enacted, it would alter the basic IHS law to permanently prohibit federal funding of abortion (except to save the life of the mother, rape, or incest) in all federal Indian health programs.

For a number of senators, this will be the first time that they vote on the issue of direct federal funding of abortion. That is because the Senate has not conducted a roll call vote squarely on an amendment to prohibit direct funding of abortion procedures since 1999. (However, the Senate has voted repeatedly on related issues, such as funding for organizations that promote abortion and the use of federal military facilities for self-funded abortions.) All U.S. Senators need to hear immediately from constituents who are opposed to federal funding of abortion.

PLEASE CALL NOW!

Related:
NRLC Letter to Senators

Pre-Term Birth and Cerebral Palsy Linked to Abortion

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:58:00 +0000

A new study appearing in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine shows a link between previous abortions and pre-term births:

The study’s authors, with the Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition based in Vancouver, are Dr. Byron Calhoun an obstetrics and gynecology professor at Western Virginia University, Dr. Elizabeth Shadigian, obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan and Brent Rooney the research director. They concluded that prior induced abortion is a significant risk factor in very pre-term births and cerebral palsy.

The research backs up previous findings published in 2006 by Dr. Richard E. Behrman of Stanford University’s Institute of Medicine, that named “prior first trimester induced abortion” as “immutable medical risk factor associated with preterm birth”.

Very pre-term babies have much higher than normal risks of suffering medical problems including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, blindness, deafness, lung impairment and serious infections.

The estimate combines a study of 58,717 newborns with a birth weight under 1500 grams (3 pounds 5 ounces) most of whom were very-preterm. Calhoun estimated that since 31.5 per cent of children born with very low birth weight are due to prior induced abortions. Approximately 7.7 per cent of children with very low birth weight develop CP, at least 1,096 cases of CP are directly associated with the mother’s prior abortion.

Adult Stem Cells Cure the Blind

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:28:00 +0000

Fortune Magazine details the work the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in India which is successfully transplanting corneas derived from adult stem cells to help patients see again:

In an operating theater in the central Indian city of Hyderabad, he surgically implants corneas grown in a petri dish from stem cells by his colleague Geeta Vemuganti in patients with damaged eyes. Together they perform about 80 corneal regeneration procedures a year, making the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute where they work one of the most prolific facilities in the world using stem cells to regenerate tissue of any kind.

The Sangwan-Vemuganti team uses stem cells found in the tissues of living adults, not ones derived from embryos. Teams all over the world are working with adult stem cells, trying to coax them to regrow cells in hearts, brains, livers, and other organs, but progress is slow.

Besides corneas, scientists have had some success regrowing skin cells and bone tissue, but those procedures remain experimental.

The treatment uses stem cells harvested from the limbus, located where the cornea touches the white of the eye. For those with damaged corneas, these cells - called "limbic" and "conjunctiva" - are harvested from a patient's good eye, if he has one, or from a close relative.

They are placed in a petri dish and chemically tweaked to grow into the lower layer of a cornea, called the epithelium. It is then transplanted into the eye of the patient, where in most cases it takes hold and grows. In 56% of the cases at the Prasad Institute, patients could still see clearly 40 months later.

The formerly blind Saradhi tears up when he recalls the day his bandages came off after his operation in 2005. "I immediately had back the vision - very clear vision," he says. The first thing he saw was Sangwan, then his brother, wife, and children, including his youngest, born after the attack.

The hospital performs 25,000 eye surgeries a year, ranging from cataract removal to LASIK procedures. The institute receives a small number of medical tourists from Europe and the U.S.; more come from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Advances in Adult Stem Cell Research

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:49:00 +0000

Two separate studies presented at the annual scientific meeting of the AABB detailed the continuing advances of cord blood stem cell research:

The first study analyzed four cases where an individual's own cord blood stem cells were released to treat aplastic anemia. The cord blood was processed and stored at Cord Blood Registry and the transplants were conducted at three different institutions. The cases suggest that autologous cord blood transplantation for aplastic anemia is a safe and effective treatment protocol and demonstrate that this approach is amenable to use at different treatment centers across the United States.

"Aplastic anemia is a life-threatening disease with no known cause that can be acquired at any time in life and is difficult to treat," said lead study investigator Dr. David T. Harris, Ph.D., professor of immunology at the University of Arizona and scientific director of Cord Blood Registry. "This study offers evidence that transplant physicians have a safe and effective weapon for combating this disease for patients who have access to their own cord blood stem cells."

The second report documented 13 cases of autologous cord blood stem cell use in both traditional and regenerative medicine applications. Sample release data suggest a rising demand for autologous cord blood over the last 10 years and an increase in samples requested for regenerative medicine applications.

In addition to the four cases of aplastic anemia (reviewed in detail in the first study), the report documented nine samples released for regenerative therapies:

* Two client samples were released for type 1 diabetes as part of an ongoing clinical trial at the University of Florida. Preliminary data from the first seven patients in the trial show the stem cell infusion appears to have reduced their disease severity, possibly resetting the immune system and slowing the destruction of their insulin-producing cells.
* Six samples were released to treat neurological conditions, including cerebral palsy (four samples), anoxic brain injury (one sample), and traumatic brain injury (one sample). Although these six samples were not released as part of any specific clinical trial, anecdotal evidence by physicians involved with these cases suggests that the treatments were safe, with some anecdotal reports of improvement in quality of life. Since the study period ended, two more samples were released for treatment of cerebral palsy.
* One additional sample was released for an experimental autologous stem cell infusion to treat a diagnosis of a rare immune disorder.

"Cord blood stem cells are increasingly being used by transplant physicians in regenerative medicine because of their demonstrated ability to produce almost all of the cell types of the body," said Harris. "These cases provide physicians and researchers with additional insight into how cord blood stem cells may be used to treat more conditions and ultimately benefit more patients."

To date, embryonic stem cell research has not shown any practical clinical use, while the body of clinical research on adult stem cell research continues to grow. And it begs the question, why is all the public money going to embryonic stem cell research?

Abortion Death in Massachusetts

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:26:00 +0000

The Cape Cod Times has a story about the tragic death of a Laura Hope Smith, a 22-year-old woman in Massachusetts who died from an abortion:

On the day she died, Laura Smith went to the women's health clinic with her friend Karen Trott of Dennisport, for the first of two appointments that day, Trott said.

Smith received an initial treatment, to prepare for the abortion that would take place later in the afternoon. She was not allowed to drive, so the two women spent the day together, with Trott driving, running errands and talking, Trott said.

"I couldn't eat all day long because she couldn't eat."

At around 4 p.m. Smith and Trott returned to the clinic and waited for Smith to be called into the office.

Trott left for a short time at around 5 p.m., thinking the procedure would be done in about 15 minutes. When she returned she waited and waited, becoming increasingly upset, she said.

"And then all of a sudden (an assistant) comes out and says she's not breathing," Trott said. "And I was like, what do you mean she's not breathing?"

Rescuers from the Hyannis Fire Department were sent to 68 Camp St. at 5:49 p.m. on Sept. 13, performed CPR on an unnamed patient and transferred the person to Cape Cod Hospital, according to a fire official. He could not reveal the name of the patient because of medical privacy laws.

Trott drove to the hospital as well and asked to see Smith but wasn't allowed to do so. When she asked about Smith's status, she was told, "It doesn't look good."

In national figures from the Centers for Disease Control, there were 846,000 legal abortions and nine abortion-related deaths in 2002.

Bella in Theaters October 26

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:02:00 +0000

For more than a year, Right to Life leaders across the nation have eagerly anticipated the October 26 release of Bella,a professionally produced film with an undiluted pro-life message. Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award, Bella promotes the sanctity of human life, gives an accurate portrayal of a woman in a crisis pregnancy, and shows how sacrificial love, kindness, and keeping her child are most important factors in preserving her well being and happiness.

The film is currently scheduled to be released in only 30 cities across the country. Selling out theatres in both Knoxville and Nashville is especially critical since executives of Regal Cinemas in our state and will be watching closely to see how the film does before considering a broader nationwide distribution.

TN locations:
Regal Green Hills 16, Nashville
Regal Downtown West Cinema 8, Knoxville

On Euthanasia and Living Wills

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:50:00 +0000

The Washington Post has a good piece by Charlotte Allen that takes a closer look a the "right to die" and end of life decisions.

A Family Speaks Out

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:32:00 +0000

The family of Laura Hope Smith, a 22-year old woman who died from an abortion last month in Massachusetts, is speaking out:

Eileen Smith told the [National Catholic Register] newspaper that she's upset at the lack of media coverage, other than initial reports in LifeNews.com and other alternative media.

“I don’t want Laura’s death swept under the rug, she told the Register.

“If Laura had died falling off a bike or in a car accident, it would have been in the paper the next day. This is a political hot potato,” she said.

According to Smith, a reporter from the local Cape Cod Times approached her two days after her daughter died for an interview. However, the article never ran in the newspaper.

“My daughter walked into that office healthy and she left dead. I don’t want her death to be in vain," Smith added.

Compare and Contrast: ASCR vs. ESCR

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:03:00 +0000

Dr. Alan Moy, CEO of Celluar Engineering Technologies, a company specializing in Adult Stem Cell research, treatments, and therapies, sat down for an interview to discuss his company, and the intricacies of Adult Stem Cell research vs. embryonic stem cell research. Some highlights:

Adult stem cell research is not conducted by many scientists because scientists do not have access to adult stem cells because it requires significant resources (recruiting patients, collect tissues, storage, processing and growing stem cells). This is a daunting task which is a barrier for scientists. So CET provides that work so that scientists can work on adult stem cell research.

Adult stem cells offer these advantages: no ethical controversy, none to minimal risk of immune rejection, and reduced cost and time to harvest and grow up an initial stem cell line from adult tissue than from embryonic sources.

It's a big leap for embryonic scientists to promise that embryonic stem cells will lead to cures. There are too many scientific, ethical and business hurdles that have to be overcome for embryonic stem cells to be considered a therapy that will be adopted by industry. You have to clone to overcome rejection and cloning has never been accomplished in humans or primates. In addition, you have to overcome to tumour formation.

The bottom line is that they are over-excited by a behaviour observed in a Petri dish, and several more steps have to be proven before embryonic stem cells can be considered promising.

Embryonic stem cells are not well designed for large scale production, unlike adult stem cells -- so there are significant cost and manufacturing constraints. There are major ethical hurdles that prevent them from being adopted by the public. If you somehow could clone and eliminate the tumour risk, 70 per cent of the public is against cloning. This restricts the market for such companies to jump into such commercial activities. Finally, cloning is not a solution for treating a genetic disorder like juvenile diabetes.

Read the whole thing here.