Luke was your average, every day little boy. He loved to run around and play with his older brother and his dog. He rode his bike and played with his friends. Then, one day, Luke’s parents noticed he was starting to fall more frequently. At age seven, the symptoms of muscle weakness started to appear and Luke was taken to his doctor, who referred him to a neurologist.

At age seven, Luke was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Throughout the next three to four years, the amount of falls and significant muscle weakness continued. Luke could no longer keep up with his brother or friends. By age 11, Luke was wheelchair bound and by 21 he had died of complications of this progressive muscle disease, which is found primarily in boys.

Many of these boys do not make it past their 25th birthday. Those that do survive, typically have heart problems, respiratory problems, and are dependent on their caregiver for nearly all of their needs. At this time, there is no known cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. While they do know that a lack of dystrophin, a protein that is necessary for healthy muscle function, is the cause for the disease they do not know how to fix the problem (well legally at this point). This lack of dystrophin is due to a mutated gene.

I have lost many a friend to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In fact, my very best friend growing up died of the disease last October. He was 24 years old. Knowing how far research is coming, I cannot help but be mad and upset at the fact that Embryonic Stem Cell Research funding has yet again been vetoed by George Bush, who probably does not even know what Duchenne is or what it does to young boys.

Duchenne isn’t the only neuromuscular disease that can be helped. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) one of the most debilitating and fatal conditions that can strike nearly anyone at any time in their life, is showing great potential treatment promises based on co-existing stem cell lines and research done outside of the United States, which allow for Embryonic Stem Cell research to occur.

ALS is a motor neuron disease, similar to the disease I have, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I have a milder form of SMA, called SMA Type III. However, SMA Type I (Werdnig Hoffman disease) is the leading cause of infantile deaths in the world. All of the motor neuron diseases have the potential of being treated by Embryonic Stem Cells. In fact, research is showing that the Anterior Horn (which is heavily affected in motor neurons) which produces and controls motor neurons is being accessed by stem cells and these stem cells are regenerating non-existing motor neurons as well as repairing damaged ones.

Dr. Douglas Kerr, a neurologist at John Hopkins University has done a fascinating study in which rats that developed motor neuron weakness (simulated SMA) were able to go from having limbs they could not move and had to drag behind their bodies to being able to bear weight and hobble after being injected with a modified type of Embryonic Stem Cells (from humans). The modified cells were developed by one of the leading Stem Cell researchers in the world, John Hopkins’ John Gearhart.

Continued improvement over six months occurred though Dr. Kerr is quick to point out this is not the end all be all cure. There will be vast improvements and a much higher quality of life, which will be attainable for those with SMA and ALS, but the chance for Stem Cells to completely heal and regenerate every single motor neuron in someone with ALS or SMA is yet to be seen. With such promising research, human trials on adults with ALS are set to begin in the next few years.

Likewise, the Muscular Dystrophies, which include Duchenne show promise in treatment with Stem Cells. In fact, the Stem Cell Research Institute, which is located in Milan, Italy, has shown that adult stem cells have been able to regenerate muscles in rats with Muscular Dystrophy. This is done through repair of dystrophic muscles and regeneration into healthy muscle cells. With healthy cells, dystrophin was able to be produced, reversing the debilitating effects of Muscular Dystrophy.

Additionally, research done on dogs took healthy stem cells from other dogs, and when injected into dogs suffering from Muscular Dystrophy, the dogs were not only able to walk faster but those that could not jump gained the strength to do so. With all of the stem cell work being done, embryonic stem cells, which have the ability to morph into nearly any type of healthy cell, offer some of the greatest potential benefits for treatment for not only Muscular Dystrophy (which includes the Motor Neuron Diseases), but also Parkinson’s, Diabetes, and perhaps even disorders like autism.

With so many potential treatment options, how anyone can turn down funding of such a promising cure is beyond me. I know that George Bush is not personally affected, so it doesn’t faze him to veto Stem Cell Funding Bills like he did this Wednesday, if he were to develop something like ALS (which is entirely possible) he would change his tune. In my personal life, I’ve found that even the most conservative and religious individuals, who just happen to suffer from a disease stem cells could treat, put aside their ethical values to see the greater good of the cure.

As a whole, the American public supports stem cell research, and the public is getting frustrated with Bush’s antics. In fact, stem cell supporters are fighting back! It is clear Bush is not thinking of the country. He is thinking only of himself, his own beliefs, values, and morals, and perhaps the beliefs of those who offer him the greatest monetary gain. In the end, it is all politics for Stem Cells in Washington. Without an override or a new President, the hope of a cure for all of us…glimmers in the distance….something so close yet we’re unable to touch it…at least until the true Stem Cell Research can begin.

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