Stems and Cells

I could go on and on about them. Why the research is so important. Grandparents having died from various cancers and Alzheimer's. Knowing too many people with M.S. (did you know that the majority of U.S. cases are clustered around the banks of the Mississippi, from Minnesota all the way down to NOLA?)

A woman I work with is going through treatment for breast cancer. She is amazing and strong and phenomenal. Today, after radiation, she told me that the radiation clinic, there was an 18-month-old baby undergoing radiation. He was sedated so as to keep him still and unaware. His parents couldn't come in the room to be with him because, well, it's radiation.

I simply can't wrap my head around how unfair life can be. Cancer sucks, obvi, but it is just beyond reprehensibly wrong that a little child should have to suffer through cancer and treatment. I also cannot imagine how someone could see a child and his family having to go through such an ordeal, and still oppose stem cell research.

I called my kid Stem Cell before we knew he 1) was viable; 2) was a real little boy; and 3) had a name. I hear that stem cells are also found in the blood from umbilical cords. I wonder if one can donate that to research? Maybe that could be his first political act (I've been prohibited from placing him in a baby carrier and bringing him to the September 2008 RNC protests). If I can figure out how to donate cord blood, that would be a cool and close second to civil disobedience. And would start him out well- one tiny little brown footstep forward...