Anna Eshoo: “I was recently visited in my office here in Washington by two of my young constituents, Mary Lucas, 9 years old, and…”

“I was recently visited in my office here in Washington by two of my young constituents, Mary Lucas, 9 years old, and Kelsey Kagle, 15. They both have juvenile diabetes. Mary Lucas, the 9-year-old, said something to me that has remained with me and I think always will. She told me that if we found a vaccine or a cure for diabetes, and if there was not enough for everyone, she would give up her share to someone who needed it more than her. Her unselfish words, I think, are instructive to us. How will we cure juvenile diabetes? One promising method is by investing in stem cell research, which has the potential to cure diseases that afflict tens of millions of Americans today, diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. According to a recent article in the New York Times, a study by the NIH sites the dazzling array of treatments that may result from research on both embryonic and adult stem cells. The report makes clear that embryonic stem cells are clearly superior to adult stem cells for stem cell research. Most Americans understand that stem cell research is not about destroying lives, but prolonging and bringing quality to and curing American lives today. So let us get this out of political science and keep it in the hands of the real scientists that understand this, and let us take a giant step, Mr. President, and allow Federal funding for stem cell research.”