Brooke Ellison - Author and Motivational Speaker

Press Releases

BROOKE ELLISON CALLS FOR PRESIDENT TO SIGN THE
STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT

April 11th, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: 631-240-4412

Long Island, New York - In response to the Senate's passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, Brooke Ellison issued the following statement:

"With the Senate's passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, the U.S. has bolstered the hope of hundreds of millions of Americans", Ellison said. "This research holds the promise to provide cures unlike anything medicine has seen, and it needs federal funding to reach this promise. It is now the President's responsibility to help make these advances happen".

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act was passed by the House in January, and was designed to address the limitations placed on federal funding for stem cell research in 2001. The measure, which President Bush has threatened to veto, allows research to be conducted on donor-approved embryos, in addition to the stem cell lines currently funded by the federal government.

"By passing the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, Congress has, yet again, spoken on behalf of the majority of American people. This time the message is clearer then ever before: this is legislation designed to improve the quality of people's lives, and it should remain at the top of our agenda. This critical legislation now sits on President Bush's desk, and with it, lies the future of medicine. We cannot miss this precious opportunity again, and the President must not dash the hopes of millions again. This is not a partisan issue; it is a human issue that affects all of our lives. It is my hope to one day to move beyond my current state of paralysis, and this legislation brings that day ever closer. I, too, believe deeply in the sanctity of life and know that the embryos referenced in this legislation, embryos that would otherwise be discarded and serve no other purpose, could hold the answers and help restore life for so many. With the promise of this research, cures are no longer a matter of "if" but a matter of "when", and each day that passes is an opportunity lost. Without this legislation I, like so many others, might never have a real chance to see that time come."

Brooke Ellison was hit by a car in 1990, an accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator to breathe. However, Brooke never let her physical situation stand in her way. After graduating with honors from Harvard University, Brooke published an autobiography, which was made into a movie directed by Christopher Reeve. She has worked for more than a decade as a public speaker, delivering a message of hope. Brooke, now 28, received a Master's degree in public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 2004, and in 2006, Brooke was a candidate for New York State Senate. Brooke has continued her work as an advocate, advocating for health care and stem cell research.

For more information about Brooke Ellison, please visit www.brookeellison.com.