Chronic illness Pain Support

President's and Health Care

Throughout this election season, the Kaiser Family Foundation will provide analysis of health care issues addressed by the presidential candidates.

There probably isn't any web site that is not biased somehow... but this one seems to at least have a pretty good comparison between candidates so you can make your own choice.

2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals:  Side-by-Side Summary
This online tool allows users to customize side-by-sides by selecting as many as four candidates for comparison that can then be formatted into a printer-friendly pdf. The tool summarizes positions in four overall categories of access to health care coverage, cost containment, improving the quality of care and financing.

Bookmark those sites to have them during the next 6 months!

Lisa

Mother of child with disabilites speaks out

Linda is a friend of mine and an amazing woman... I thought her viewpoint, based on her experience, was worth sharing with you. When people ask you what you believe on these kinds of topics, it's good to have had these viewpoints as part of your body of knowledge. I'm sorry this is dated, but I thought it was still a good article. Yeah, Linda, for speaking out!

Shocking Predictions from Mother of Child on Life Support Regarding Texas Hospital Controversy

DENVER, April 10 /Christian Newswire/ -- In regard to the case of 17- month-old Emilio Gonzales at Children's Hospital of Austin, Linda Evans Shepherd releases the following and is available for comment:

As a mother whose child has been on life support since she was 18-months-old, (she's now 20,) I'm appalled that the Austin, Texas hospital's ethics committees are violating a families rights -- planning to take 17-month-old Emilio Gonzales off life support despite his family's decision to keep him alive.

My daughter, who is still on life support, leads a very happy and healthy life. The Texas hospital we were in - in the eighties, would have gladly ended Laura's life if they'd had the power to do so, when Laura was originally hurt in a violent car crash. We, her family said "No!" to their efforts to pull her plug.

Thank God the ethics committee had no power. Laura has grown up to be a happy, young adult; though disabled.

But times have changed -- prejudice against the disabled is growing. Today, my family is afraid Laura will be denied emergency care at some of our local hospitals. In fact, we've already had to come against ER doctors who've tried to do just that, deny care, simply because they didn't understand the value of my daughter's life. I stood up to them and my daughter received the help she needed. The doctor who had tried to deny antibiotics, later apologized when he saw her amazing joy and personality -- as she was recovering from a simple but severe bladder infection. With tears in his eyes, this same doctor said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

But my question is, where will this lack of respect for the lives of the disabled stop?

We know where it stopped in Nazi Germany -- in specially designed vans -- used to euthanize disabled children. That is, until a local pastor stood up to the killers and said, "No more!"

Public pressure turned the tide and the killing of disabled children stopped.

It's not too late to take a stand. It's not too late to participate in a public outcry that says, "No more!"

If Emilio were an endangered species like an owl, a fish or even a worm, the public outcry would be heard all the way to Washington. But he's a Hispanic baby boy.

This is prejudice of the worst kind. If we don't cry out, how many other children, elderly, and disabled people will die at the hands of hospital ethics committees, committees who have taken both God and the value of human life out of their death-decision calculations? Their formulas will become more blood-thirsty, to the point that any American with a sudden disability, stroke or aging issue will be at risk for execution.

High resolution, copyright free pictures available at www.LindaAndLaura.com.

Linda Evans Shepherd is a best selling novelist (The Potluck Club Series), and a nationally recognized speaker and radio and television personality in the Denver area.

Christian Newswire

Stem cell research/President's words

Oftentimes, we are asked what our position is on stem cell research since we live with chronic illness and are also Christians. Stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research are 2 very different things. At this time, great strides have been made with stem cell research, sometimes using one's own stem cells to help treat their disease. The use of embroes, which I believe are a form of life, is not necessary. I thought the President's recent public statement on this issue was well worth passing on to you!

Lisa

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Statement by President Bush 

WASHINGTON, April 11 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following text is a statement by President Bush:

Scientists believe that stem cells have the potential for medical breakthroughs in treating debilitating medical diseases and disorders. However, the advancement of science and medicine need not conflict with the ethical imperative to protect every human life. I am a strong supporter of scientific research -- which is why I authorized the first federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells, under careful safeguards, starting in 2001.

My policy unleashed an unprecedented scientific effort using the stem cell lines my policy approved for funding. While encouraging -- not banning -- research, my policy also ensures that federal funds are not used to create incentives to destroy, or harm, or create living human embryos for purposes of research.

The Senate today voted in support of legislation to overturn these safeguards. I believe this will encourage taxpayer money to be spent on the destruction or endangerment of living human embryos -- raising serious moral concerns for millions of Americans.

Research using human embryonic stem cells is still at an early stage, and it will be years before researchers know how much promise lies in therapeutic applications. I believe this early stage is precisely when it is most important to develop ethically responsible techniques, so the potential of stem cells can be explored without violating human dignity and life.

S.5 is very similar to legislation I vetoed last year. This bill crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling. If it advances all the way through Congress to my desk, I will veto it.

Meanwhile, exciting and significant scientific advances have been reported over the past few years on uses of stem cells that do not involve the destruction of embryos. These advances using adult and other forms of stem cells are exciting. Some have even produced effective therapies and treatments for disease -- all without the destruction of human life.

The second bill that passed the Senate today, the Hope Act, builds on this ethically appropriate research by encouraging further development of these alternative techniques for producing stem cells without embryo creation or destruction. I strongly support this bill, and I encourage the Congress to pass it and send it to me for my signature, so stem cell science can progress, without ethical and cultural conflict.

Christian Newswire

Stem Cell Research

Hi, friends!

I just wrote a long wonderful (I'm not really objective) blog on the topic of how important it is to be aware of both sides of the fence on the subject of stem cell research. And zap! Satan took it! (See, I told you it was wonderful...)

My point is that regardless of where you may stand on the issue, or the confusion you may feel ("what if it would heal me?") I think Joni Eareckson Tada's viewpoint is required reading.

I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the article below which is posted on pastors.com (always interesting to know what pastors talk about on their message boards too, huh?)

Stem cells: A view from a wheelchair
by Joni Eareckson  Tada - Read more here

Lisa Copen, Director, Rest Ministries, Inc.

http://www.restministries.org
http://www.hopekeepersmagazine.com