Minneapolis Activist Testifies at Congressional Hearing on Stem CellsMom With Parkinsons Tells Why She Supports CastleDeGette Bill

November 19, 2004 --Minneapolis resident and Parkinson's disease activist Jackie Christensen testified Tuesday at a hearing of the Republican Main Street Partnership. The hearing, convened by Partnership President of co-author of HR- 4682 the Castle-DeGette Stem Cell bill, chaired the hearing .

Christensen, a 40-year-old wife and mother of two sons, who refers to herself as the M.U.S.C.L.E. (Minnesotan Urging Stem Cell Line Expansion) Mom, told the lawmakers and staffers present at the hearing about her personal struggle with Parkinson's disease over the past seven years.

"I have had to give up a number of things because of my Parkinson's disease," said Christensen. "but the hardest thing for me to give up has been my dream of giving birth to a daughter."

Christensen told the hearing attendees that she had undergone a tubal ligation three years ago, in case the Parkinson's disease and Crohn's disease that she experiences might have a genetic component.

"I absolutely support a woman's right to choose, but I also choose to have a stone in this ring to mark a miscarriage that I had 10 years ago," she said, pointing to a "mother's ring" on her finger that contained onyx and lapis lazuli stones for the birth of her two sons flanking a thin strip of purple quartz.

"I take human life very seriously - something that I have proven in my nearly 20 years of working for a child's right to be born into a clean health environment, "Christensen continued." And because of my convictions, I wholeheartedly support the use of embryos that are being discarded from in-vitro fertilization clinics for use in research. These clumps of cells that cannot actualize their humanity without a womb in which to grow, can potentially sustain other lives - individuals that are already tangible, visible beings who are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters."

The Castle-DeGette bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to allow and support embryonic stem cell research to continue, provided the following caveats, plus guidelines developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health, are met:

1) The stem cells were derived from human embryos that have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for the purposes of fertility treatment, and were in excess of the clinical need of the individuals seeking such treatment.

(2) Prior to the consideration of embryo donation and through consultation with the individuals seeking fertility treatment, it is determined that the embryos will never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded.

(3) The individuals seeking fertility treatment donated the embryos with written informed consent and without receiving any financial or other inducements to make the donation.

Additional information about the Castle-DeGette bill can be found at http://capwiz.com/pan/issues/bills/bill=6149621&alertid=6149626 or at the Parkinson's Action Network website: www.parkinsonsaction.org

Minnesota co-sponsors of the bill include Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-3rd District), Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-4th District) and Congressman Martin Olav Sabo (DFL-5th District).

Ms. Christensen is on long-term disability from her work in the Food and Health Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis because of her Parkinson's disease. She volunteers as Vice-President of the Parkinson Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Coordinator for the Parkinson's Action Network.

Contact: Jackie Christensen, M.U.S.C.L.E. (Minnesotan Urging Stem Cell Line Expansion) Mom, 612-325-0372

Minneapolis Activist Testifies at Congressional Hearing on Stem CellsMom With Parkinsons Tells Why She Supports CastleDeGette Bill

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Minneapolis Activist Testifies at Congressional Hearing on Stem CellsMom With Parkinsons Tells Why She Supports CastleDeGette Bill

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