Insulin Is Not a Cure: Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research. A Call for An Increase in Funding.


Type 1 diabetes is defined as: A chronic (lifelong) disease that occurs when the pancreas produces too little or no insulin to regulate blood sugar levels appropriately.


The American Diabetes Association estimates that 500,000 to 1 million people in the U.S. have type 1 diabetes. Each year approximately 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, over 13,000 of those diagnosed are children. That is 35 children each and every day. Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death.

It is a fact that, although the outcome of people with diabetes varies, complications may occur even when good diabetes control is achieved with insulin and diet. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. Insulin does not "get rid of" diabetes, it only prolongs the life of those affected with it.

Over the past several years, Stem Cell Research has come into play as the leading component that could hold a cure for diabetes. No cure will ever be found for this devastating disease if funds and appropriate resources are not made available for Embryonic Stem Cell Research. It was announced on January 24, 2005 that ALL of the existing Stem Cell Lines to be used for research were contaminated with animal proteins. This, in turn, almost certainly makes the cell lines unsuitable for use in human medicine.


TESTIMONIES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY TYPE 1 DIABETES:

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 15 years ago, at the age of 10. Nothing could have prepared me for what life as a diabetic would be like. A life that now consists of having to prick myself in the finger up to 6 times a day to get an accurate blood sugar reading. Having to inject myself 4 times a day with insulin. Having to monitor every single ounce of food and liquid I put in my mouth, and having to get the right amount of exercise daily. And most importantly, keeping my blood sugar within a very tight range of 80-120.

Life as a diabetic also includes, suffering from extremely low and/or high blood sugars at any given moment of any given day. I have passed out in my sleep dozens of times over the past 15 years due to low blood sugars. Three of those times my blood sugar was so low, I nearly died. No matter what myself and my doctors have done, it always seems to resurface and be an issue with my diabetes.

What's just as frightening, if not more frightening, then the day to day aspect of living with diabetes is the risk factors its poses in the future; complications caused by high blood sugar readings over time. Some complications of type 1 diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), stroke, amputation, and kidney damage (nephropathy). Nearly all the people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes will, at some point in their life, suffer from some sort of diabetic related complication. Imagine being told you are at risk for just one of those debilitating conditions. Diabetics face the devastating reality that they are at risk for every one of these conditions. Not just one, but all!


I've come to the realization that I have to do more than test my blood every day, give myself insulin injections, exercise, and watch what I eat. To stay alive, I have to fight for a cure! And that is why I am starting this petition. I don't want any other child, any other human being to have to go through what I have gone through. No one should have to suffer with something that could possibly prove to be nonexistent with the appropriate cure.


Imagine, having to tell a 10 year old that they will someday have to face the harsh reality of possibly losing their sight, having a toe or even worse a whole leg amputated, or suffering from agonizing kidney failure. Explaining to them that they could die from something as simple, and as innocent as eating a candy bar. And then...imagine telling them that it'll be alright...because there is a cure.


So, while you are out there living your day to day lives, I ask you to think about the millions of people who struggle with this deadly disease every single moment of every single day: mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends. Those who are losing their sight from blindness, loosing a limb due to amputation, having a heart attack due to years of high blood sugar, on dialysis due to kidney failure, and ... dying from diabetes.

Please support Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Standup and stand beside all the millions on men, women, and children effected by this disease and say "YES" to Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research could not only hold a cure for diabetes, but also for various other diseases and ailments such as: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns and spinal cord injuries, as well as dozens of other possible diseases.


Sincerely.
Cindy Scala, New Jersey U.S.A


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My name is Jamie Farrar.I'm a caregiver to a diabetic father. My dad has had Type 1 diabetes for 10 years and it's taking it's toll on him. He has had over 30 seizures over those 10 years. He has neuropathy in his legs and has bad eyesight. It doesn't matter how many times he checks his blood sugar or how well he takes care of himself, diabetes slowly kills you. It doesn't care who you are. It has no age limit. It has one purpose: To kill.

I've watch helplessly has the disease eats away at my father's body, robs more of him from me everyday. Watching is all I can do. Watch and worry about if he'll make it another month, year, 5 years , 10 . I wonder if he'll see me get married or see his grandchilden. And I wonder about my children.

You see, this awful disease runs in my family and can affect my children and grandchildren. It's a cycle.

A cure is out there. Its in embryonic stem cell research and we have to fight for it! Won't you help us?

I urge you, please sign this partition! Help us find a cure to save other loved ones from this pain that I and millions upon millions live with! You never know the difference you can make unless you try!

Jamie Farrar, Nevada USA
(17 years old)

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Please, help put an end to those suffering! Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research!