A Walking Argument in the Stem Cell Debate

By Janet Parshall

Jacki Rabon is a lovely, young, 18-year-old who suffered severe injuries in a car accident in 2003. The incident left her paralyzed. Her future seemed grim until Jacki was put in touch with Dr. Carlos Lima of Portugal. Dr. Lima took adult stems cells derived from Jacki's nose and placed them in her spinal column. Now Jacki is no longer wheelchair bound but walks with braces and a walker. Dr. Lima's astounding work can be found in the peer-reviewed Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine.

Jacki's story underscores the profound successes that are being discovered in adult stem cells as opposed to embryonic stem cells, which ends in the destruction of a life. Researchers at the University of Calgary found that stem cells from adult skin can be transplanted into mouse models and generate bone, muscle and even heart tissue. Some in Congress need to be convinced that adult stem cells are the answer, not embryonic cells. Jacki Rabon doesn't need to be convinced--she walks with that truth everyday.