My Ice Bucket Challenge Problem

I have not been challenged with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, yet. My sister, Cheryl, died from ALS a number of years ago and I would love to see huge advances made in overcoming the disease… but not at any cost.

I've visited the ALS Association web site (alsa.org), reading their information on the kind of research that takes place. It is important to know that I regard all human life as just that: Human life. When conception/fertilization occurs, even when disguised with terms such as "so-called totipotent cells", "blastocyst", "inner cell mass", etc, it is a human life. Basically, whether done using laboratory fertilized eggs or aborted babies, it is stopping a human life.

I do not think the ALS Association or its members are wicked and evil…at least, not any more than myself and everyone else. I believe they have a passion for conquering ALS. I understand there are greater difficulties with using adult stem cells taken from bone marrow and ALS research receives relatively little funding. Nevertheless, ending one life, even before it is fully formed, in order to try to help ALS victims is not something I can condone or support. I believe it is morally and spiritually wrong. (I won't do the sermon here on the value God places on human life.)

If the ALS Association can assure me that any contributions will go to research not using intentionally terminated embryos/fetus/fertilized-human-egg/etc., then I will joyfully take the plunge and donate to the cause.

I wish my brother-in-law hadn't lost his wife. I wish my nieces hadn't lost their mom. I wish my parents hadn't lost their first born, I wish my siblings and I hadn't lost our sister. It would love to see an end to ALS…but not at the cost of taking other lives.

Addendum:
I added this to the post on Facebook and wanted to include it here as well.

Okay, here is a start and you can do your own checking on it (In fact, you should do your own checking on it). It's The John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa (http://www.jp2mri.org/mission/htm and/or http://www.jp2mri.org/captial-campaign.htm).

And another: Israel based BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (http://www.brainstorm-cell.com).

By the grace of God, these groups (and perhaps there are others) may find a cure or viable treatment for ALS without the termination of other human lives.

I wish she could hit me again.

The picture is our daughter, Alison, and my oldest sister, Cheryl Hamilton, when the Hamiltons arrived at our house last April.

When I was growing up, Cheryl, used to enforce her will by pounding me on top of the head. The jolt sent electric shocks right down to my heels. Then, I finally reached puberty and became strong enough to impress both of my sisters that their days of physical domination had ended. Yes, growing up third in a family of five kids was special.

Last April, Cheryl and Steve came to visit us on the day we had an "Open House" so everyone could see our new home. Cheryl's ALS was steadily robbing her of more and more physical abilities, including speech. But brothers never let sisters off the hook, so, when they pulled up in their van, I went out to greet them and asked, "How are you doing?" Cheryl smiled and nodded, indicating that she was doing well. I said, "What?" She repeated her nod, smiling more broadly. I said, "What? I can't hear you!"

That was the last time she ever hit me. On Tuesday night, March 3, at around 11:20, I was awakened by my cell phone ringing. It was Nancy, my other sister. The ALS had finally won.

Cheryl is with Jesus...completely.

For Cheryl, it is a time of joy and celebration.

Yet, even though I know her smile and beautiful voice are filling heaven at this very moment...

I wish she were here to hit me again. And I wish I could take away the emptiness that her husband and daughters are experiencing and the hurt that my parents and siblings are feeling.

Dang.