Supporting Stem Cell Research

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In August 2010, Hannah Warren, a Korean baby girl was born with no windpipe. When Hannah was delivered, she was blue, and her doctors had to force a tube down her throat so she could breathe properly. Following some tests, the doctors found that Hannah had been born without a trachea. Hannah’s parents were told most children in her condition didn’t survive, and that she had a very low chance as well. However, she continued to grow bigger and stronger, and her family kept searching the internet for possible treatments. The family found information concerning stem cells and their use in regenerative medicine, and learned about a physician who was creating windpipes out of stem cells and transplanting them into patients. The family got into contact with this doctor and the Children’s Hospital of Illinois at O.S.F. Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, and eventually Hannah underwent the treatment with impressive results. The doctors had successfully grown a new windpipe for Hannah out of her own cells and saved her life, while performing an innovative medical procedure (OSF Healthcare). Today, the field of regenerative medicine is still in its infancy. Scientists know very few definitive facts, yet Hannah’s story serves as a prime example of what we are able to do in the present, and what medical advances we can look forward to in the future. Even though very little is known about stem cells, scientists believe that they have the basics covered. Human stem cells are extraordinary cells that have the ability to transform into different cell types for a variety of specialized functions. Stem cells are also capable of regenerating or repairing the body. They are able to constantly reproduce and either continue being a stem... ... middle of paper ... ...ciety. Hug, Kristina. Sources of Human Embryonic Stem Cells. 25 July 2011. 25 April 2014. . Landau, Elizabeth. Cloning used to make stem cells from adult humans. 28 April 2014. Cable News Network. 2 May 2014. . OSF Healthcare. Hannah's Story. 30 April 2013. 31 April 2014. . Sample, Ian. Stem cell treatment repairs damaged hearts in monkeys. 30 April 2014. 1 May 2014. . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health: Stem Cell Information. 28 April 2002. 23 April 2014. .

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