Stem Cell Research

* I am a 44-year-old, active wife and mother who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years ago. I take medication three times a day and couldn’t get through the day without it. I am stiff and in pain every day but get up and exercise, as my doctor has advised and as I have done all of my life. I do as much as I can physically do daily, to show my sons, husband and people I know that even with obstacles in life you have to keep trying and never, ever give up.

On March 4, I ran the L.A. Marathon for Team Parkinson to raise money for Parkinson’s research. My time was 5 hours, 21 minutes--not the fastest but not the slowest. I did my little bit to help researchers find a cure. My question is: Why isn’t President Bush doing his part? Fetal stem cell research and gene therapy give me hope that someday my life will be better, that my family will have me with them, healthy, for a long time. People like me depend on the leaders of our great country to help, not put up roadblocks by trying to keep any federal funding from these promising research areas. Please look beyond your own healthy world to all the people who are not so healthy and need to keep that hope alive.

FLORENCE WOOLERY

Westlake Village