Kansas Coalition
for Lifesaving Cures
PO Box 394
Topeka KS 66601-0394

Toll-free: 800-821-2658
Email: info@kansascures.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2006

CONTACT:
Laurie Roberts
816-931-8900

Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland joins in supporting the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures


Overland Park, Kan. – A leading regional group dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease and to supporting Parkinson’s sufferers and their caregivers today announced that it is joining the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, a broad-based coalition of concerned citizens and leading patient and medical organizations working to protect patient access to stem cell treatments and cures in Kansas.

“More than a million and a half Americans – thousands of them Kansans – have Parkinson’s disease, and tens of thousands more are diagnosed every year,” said Meg Duggan, executive director of the group, the Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland. “Stem cell research has the potential to lead to treatments that could greatly improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s and one day may even provide a cure.

“That’s why we support the Coalition’s efforts to ensure Kansans have full and equal access to any stem cell therapies that are allowed in our country and available to patients in other states.”

The Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland joins dozens of other patient advocacy and medical research organizations in supporting the Coalition’s policy that any stem cell research, therapies or cures that are permitted by federal law should be allowed in Kansas, as long as those activities are conducted ethically and safely and do not involve human cloning. A recent public opinion poll shows that 79 percent of Kansas voters agree with this basic policy position. Other member groups include the Parkinson’s Action Network – which announced its support of the Coalition earlier this week – and the American Association for Cancer Research, Christopher Reeve Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

A complete list of organization members – as well as a list of notable individual members – of the Coalition can be found at www.KansasCures.com.

Medical researchers believe that stem cells could provide treatments and cures for diseases and injuries that afflict hundreds of thousands of Kansas children and adults – and millions of other Americans – including Parkinson’s, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, ALS and spinal cord injury.

The Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures was formed last year to support all types of stem cell research and cures in Kansas and to oppose attempts by some politicians to impose a state ban on promising types of stem cell research and treatments allowed under federal law. Any such bans would unfairly restrict Kansans’ access to future stem cell cures and prevent Kansas medical researchers from providing and helping to find those cures.

The Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland provides patients, their caregivers, and their families a variety of services such as support groups, exercise and speech classes, and educational programs. It is active throughout Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. More information about the foundation is available at www.parkinsonheartland.org.

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