August 12, 2002
Christopher Reeve Serves as Guest of Honor

Captivates ATBF Supporters at 2002 Tournament
Excerpts from Christopher Reeve's remarks at the 14th Annual John Vanbiesbrouck Celebrity Golf & Tennis Tournament



"On behalf of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF), I would like to publicly express my profound appreciation for the long association The Alan T Brown Foundation has had with our organization and for your significant impact on advancing cutting-edge spinal cord research. Your steadfast efforts help to raise not only essential funds for research, but also critical awareness of spinal cord injury and the real hope that research brings to Alan, myself, our families and so many others affected by paralysis.

Spinal cord injury research is progressing at a remarkable rate, and a number of scientists are either preparing or actually conducting FDA-approved human trials. Most experts agree that curing paralysis and the loss of function caused by spinal cord injury will require a carefully choreographed series of interventions. I am thrilled that instead of the fierce competition so common in scientific research, some of the world's most brilliant neuroscientists are working together to combine their specific expertise and talents to advance the development of treatments for paralysis. This same collaborative spirit is also vital in order for CRPF, The Alan T Brown Foundation, and other organizations to raise the funds needed to keep pace with research progress.

Scientists are just beginning to discover the enormous therapeutic and curative potential of stem cells, but their encouraging work cannot advance without adequate resources. Even more unconscionable to me and to so many other people suffering from life-threatening conditions is the reality that some politicians are promoting legislation that will criminalize therapeutic cloning. More accurately called somatic cell nuclear transplantation, this method of obtaining stem cells is the safest for patients because it offers a viable way around the profound challenge of immune rejection encountered in embryonic stem cell transplantation. Therapeutic cloning produces stem cells with genetic material identical to that of the patient, and obviates the ethical issues surrounding embryonic stem cells, among other benefits.

It is imperative that the general public and our elected officials become informed about exactly how stem cells are derived and their limitless healing possibilities so that this urgent research can continue. We cannot depend on government funding, and that is precisely why your continued support is so important—now more than ever before. Thank you for your generosity and belief in our shared mission."