Promising Stem Cell Research for MS

CHICAGO, USA— On January 30, researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago published promising stem cell research results in patients with Multiple Sclerosis in the online The Lancet Neurology Journal. The study was small, involving only 21 patients with relapsing-remitting type MS. Autologous stem cells—cells from the patient’s own body—were used. At a three-year follow up, 81 % of study participants had improvement in their MS symptoms, and none had deterioration.

SOURCES:

Stem Cell Transplantation Shows Benefit in MS http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Pathology/Stem-Cell-Transplantation-Shows-Benefit-in-MS/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/578836?contextCategoryId=40127

Stem Cells Could Be Used to Treat MS, Study Says http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2009/feb/Stem-Cells-Could-Be-Used-to-Treat-MS--Study-Says.html

RELATED:

Stem Cell Basics http://stemcells.nih.gov/ ; http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/

PBS Nova Science Now: Stem Cells http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/04.html

Michelle Obama Focuses on Military Families, Impact of Service Related Disabilities

WASHINGTON, DC— New First Lady Michelle Obama is deeply interested in working with military families, as evidenced by her numerous pre-election interviews highlighting her commitment to military families and their unique needs. She has specifically referenced the challenges associated with returning from military service with mental and/or physical disabilities. The new First lady herself grew up in a household impacted by disability; her father had Multiple Sclerosis. In a Reader’s Digest interview, Mrs. Obama said, "Seeing a parent with a disability moving through the world and living life as if that disability didn't matter," was highly and positively influential on her personal approach to life. Will Mrs. Obama bring new attention to service-related disabilities? To disability studies and rehabilitation generally? Perhaps now is the time for our community to leverage a potential new champion…
SOURCES:
Michelle Obama Interview: Her Father’s Daughter
http://www.rd.com/content/printContent.do?contentId=98945&KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=790&modal=true
Michelle Obama: Normal is Now Relative
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Inauguration/story?id=6690058&page=1
Who Is Michelle Obama (Katie Couric Interview Article) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/25/eveningnews/main4383429.shtml
RELATED:
Bella Online Forum for Women with Disabilities
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=468543
Transcript of Michelle Obama’s Speech at the Democratic National Convention, in which she mentions her father and his disability. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/08/25/2008-08-25_text_of_michelle_obamas_speech_at_the_de-1.html?page=0