Derby City Area Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The Derby City Area Chapter of the N.S.C.I.A. is a membership organization for individuals with spinal cord injuries, their families, and health professionals. Founded in 1984 as a Charter Member of the N.S.C.I.A., it was incorporated under IRS Section 501 (c) 3 as a not for profit organization. The Board of Directors consists of the Officers, Past President and the Board Members At Large.
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OFFICERS
PRESIDENT David Allgood - (502) 589-6620
VICE PRESIDENT Adam Ford - (502) 425-2206
TREASURER Tom Stokes- (502) 957-5865
LIAISON TO FRAZIER INSTITUTE Dr. Bill Kraft – (502) 582-5865
FUNDRAISING CHAIR Betty Perry—(502) 647-0368
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY/WEB MASTER Michael Feger- (502) 647-0368
PAST PRESIDENT Adam Ford- (502) 425-2206
BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE- Mike Perry Kelly Young
NSCIA DERBY CITY CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
Editor- Barbara Davis
Contributor- David Allgood
STEM CELL RESEARCH, CONT’D
Yesterday, the first day it accepted applications from patients to participate in research, the Center received 3,500 responses, said Lim Jong-pil, an official at the Center at Seoul National University Hospital.
The center, which will have its first branches in Britain and the United States, is expected to provide other scientists room to get around government restrictions into research on embryonic stem cells.
Hwang has garnered world-wide attention for cloning the world’s first human embryos and extracting stem cells from them. In May, he announced that he had created the world’s first embryonic stem cells that genetically match injured or sick patients—a major step in the quest to grow patients’ own replacement tissue to treat diseases.
Instead of using embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization, the Koreans can create them from cloned skin cells. That process is favored by some scientists because cloning can create a perfect tissue match for patients.
Critics say such research condones creating human life for laboratory use. Removing stem cells often involves destroying days-old embryos, and the Bush administration has banned federal funding for research on all but a handful of old embryonic stem cell lines. Officials at the center cautioned that their research is not the start of experimental treatment. Also, not everyone will be accepted; candidates will be screened. And it may take years to develop a treatment.
Kim, the woman paralyzed by an accident, lamented not being able to care for herself and her two sons. Her husband was also severely injured in the car crash.
“I could not do anything by myself. The feeling of desperation I had was beyond description,” she said.
Lee A-ja, who registered yesterday, can walk only a short way with a cane before her pain becomes too intense. The 64-year-old has used a wheelchair since a virus damaged her nervous system more than a decade ago.
“My only wish is to walk with my legs even for some months before I die,” she said as her husband filled out an application.
From the editor: A related article found on the Internet reports that the web site for the Hub in South Korea was so overwhelmed with attempts to submit applications on “Opening Day” that the system was virtually at a crawl, or standstill, for three hours.
