Speaker discusses stem cell initiative

By Steve Moyer

Herald-Tribune

Nevada, Mo. -- Vernon County Democrats met Thursday evening for a chili supper and to hear Joe Rhea, Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, speak on the issue of stem cell research.

Rhea broke his neck playing football when he was 14 years old -- 22 years ago, on Sept. 11, 1984. Rhea said he was told to be prepared to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

"Seven days later my left leg moved," Rhea said. "I spent two years in intensive physical therapy. Now I can walk and move my arms, but it's limited, I can't touch my shoulders."

Rhea presented a talk on Amendment 2, the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, and took questions from the audience afterward. Rhea said the initiative impacts everyone, whether they are aware of it or not.

"Look at this list of seven conditions," such as spinal cord injury, Rhea said. "Do you know of anyone in your family or friends who have one of these?"

After most in the audience raised their hands, Rhea continued.

"That's the way it is around the state, most people know or are related to someone who has one of these conditions," he said.

Rhea said that no matter how well a person takes care of himself there is a chance that he could one day need a therapy that stem cells could provide.

"You can do everything right," Rhea said. "You can eat right, exercise right and avoid dangerous behavior, and these injuries and diseases can still hurt you."

According to Rhea, the initiative would not ask for or require state funding for stem cell research, although the wording of the initiative prohibits governmental bodies of any kind from reducing or eliminating funds to anyone conducting stem cell research.

Money isn't an issue, according to Rhea.

"The institutions that would be doing the research are all non-profits," Rhea said. "Jim Stowers (a supporter of the initiative and founder of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research) is already a billionaire. He doesn't want or need anymore money."

Rhea said the initiative would only use embryonic stem cells from two sources --u nused embryos left over from in vitro fertilization attempts and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. Rhea said SCNT wouldn't create a clone because cloning would require the egg to be implanted into a woman's womb and the initiative prohibits that.

"SCNT would involve taking an egg, removing the nucleus and replacing it with the nucleus of a skin, or other, cell," Rhea said. "For there to be a pregnancy, the egg would have to be placed back into a woman's womb, and that is prohibited."

Rhea said that the initiative would ensure that Missourians would have access to the same treatments as anyone else in America.

"This allows Missourians to receive any stem cell cure allowed in our country," Rhea said. "Missourians should be able to have those treatments available here."

Rhea concluded his talk by asking the audience to become involved and join with the coalition to help pass the initiative.

After the talk several members of the audience responded. Wanda Arthur and Mary Profitt both spoke about the need for the initiative to pass, Arthur spoke of her son Greg, who died of cancer and Profitt spoke of values in general.

"What about values," Profitt said. "The other guys talk about values, well I have values and my values are for my family and friends and those that I can help."