Story of Hope: Katie & Ellie Clark
Grandville, Mich.
"She's just like her mother." For most, that is music to the ears. But for me, it was far from it. In fact, it was the one thing I never wanted to hear about my child.
But my worst nightmare became a reality on August 30, 2004 at exactly 4:45pm. That's the moment our pediatrician said what had always been unthinkable to me about my four-year-old daughter: "There is glucose in her urine." Other parents might wonder what that meant. But I knew. I knew too well. I knew in that instant the doctor's words meant our oldest daughter had Type 1 diabetes. Just like me.
Read Katie & Ellie's Full Story
Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell
Research & Cures
Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell Research & Cures is a group of Michigan citizens dedicated to the long-term goal of educating our state's residents about the stem cell research process and its potential for life-saving cures and treatments.
We will present the facts necessary so each individual can form his/her own opinion about stem cell research. As a 501(c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization MCSCRC does not and cannot express support for any piece of legislation or political petition related to stem cell research.
First, some background: Stem cells are nature's “master” cells, the foundation or building block of all tissue in the human body. These cells serve as the body's repair system, receiving a signal from the body that tells them to develop into specific cells like a heart, nerve, brain or skin cell.
Many scientists believe studying these cells will lead to more effective drugs and an understanding of human development, disease development and birth defects, as well as, someday, possible treatments for chronic diseases, ranging from heart disease to Alzheimer's, diabetes to Parkinson's, and even spinal-cord injuries.
Stem cell research is a relatively new area that has provoked one of the nation's fiercest political and ethical debates. Even the most passionate advocates of this research concede that it is impossible to predict with certainty how long it may take to find new treatments using stem cells. Within the scientific community, however, there is little dispute about the need to pursue stem cell research in order to solve important medical problems.
To support well-informed decision-making on this issue, Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell Research & Cures is helping our state's citizens understand this science and its promise.
