CNS Foundation Applauds Congress for the Passage of HR 810



May 26, 2005 -- Children's Neurobiological Solutions Foundation (CNS) salutes the United States House of Representatives for their courageous vote on Tuesday to loosen restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. The House approved the bill, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 810), by a historic 238-194 vote. The bill would override President Bush's August 9, 2001 executive order limiting federal funding of embryonic stem cell research to stem cell lines derived before that date.

Fia Richmond, founder and president of CNS, a national organization that pursues the promise of cures and treatments for America's 14 million children living with neurological disorders, said this is a great day for America.

"I applaud the integrity and vision of members of Congress for their brave and non-partisan support of scientific discovery," she said. "Congress felt the pulse of America and responded in a way that will have a powerful impact on the lives of children and families and society for generations to come."

Mrs. Richmond and her husband Phillip founded CNS after the birth of their son Palmer, now nine years old. In the first weeks of Palmer's life, doctors told them he had an undiagnosed seizure disorder. Within a week, he underwent two emergency surgeries. They nearly lost their new son several times. Today, he is unable to walk, talk, or sit without help.

"We discovered that families struggle to improve the health of these children, strengthen their well-being, and provide them with the quality of life most of us take for granted. They endure a lifetime of pain and anguish because there are not yet medical miracles for them. Stem cell discoveries provide the first hope ever for cures and treatments for these emerging human lives," said Fia Richmond.

Children's Neurobiological Solutions Foundation (CNS) is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to expand knowledge about the developing brain through cutting edge, collaborative research and to expedite the creation of effective treatments and therapies for children across the broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental abnormalities, injuries to the nervous system, and related neurological problems. CNS also provides families and health care providers with user-friendly access to state-of-the-art information and education to support their decision-making processes.

www.cnsfoundation.org.





CNS Foundation Applauds Congress for the Passage of HR 810