To the Future President of the United States of America,

The people of our country are sick. We are diseased with cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, and we have to live with it for the rest of our lives, as we slowly rot on our personal hospital beds, surrounded by useless doctors, nurses, and hospices. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), “seven of the top 10 causes of death in 2010 were chronic diseases. Two of these chronic diseases—heart disease and cancer—together accounted for nearly 48% of all deaths” To create a healthier America, to create futures for the future, to create a pathway to cure billions of people from these horrid diseases, we must promote stem cell research, a solution to these chronic diseases.

Stem cell research can help us cure many terminal diseases, usually by stem cell transplants. According to California’s Stem Cell Agency CIRM, “In a stem cell transplant, embryonic stem cells are first specialized into the necessary adult cell type. Then, those mature cells replace tissue that is damaged by disease or injury.” Examples of uses of stem cell transplants include replacing neurons damaged by spinal cord injury, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological problems. However, there is a greater, long-term use for stem cell research, which is observing how stem cells develop into different kinds of cells, which can be used to repair an organ or to replace a malfunctioned cell. Studying these cells may also benefit the cause by helping us identify new drugs, or screen drugs for toxic side effects. By simply studying these stem cells now, we can greatly impact a human’s health in the future without transplanting a single cell, which will save money for our country as well.

As of today, the percentage of people who believe that stem cell research is morally acceptable is 60%. Clearly, the majority believes that stem cell research is correct, and that it will benefit our society by allowing people to live longer and better lives. As the future president of the United States, you must know how important it for the people’s ideas to be expressed in the form of action. Therefore, there should be more fundings for medical research that uses stem cells obtained from human embryos.

For the government to not focus on a major opportunity to find a solution to the leading causes of death now is killing billions of lives, it is a shame that that we are not focusing on the most basic form of help and support for all humans. The faster and more efficient we solve this issue, the more lives we save. The only controversial topic is how embryonic stem cell research challenges our humane ethics on how we are “killing lives that have never even lived” for our selfish uses. If the definition of humane is to “have or show compassion or benevolence,” then assuming that destroying “lives” that haven’t even lived is more cruel than letting lives rot away, and letting lives that have lived never live again is a haughty opinion. Almost everyone in America will die by chronic diseases, including you, Mr./Ms. President. To prevent your friends, family, and you and the people of this beautiful country from dying by these disgusting diseases, I ask that you promote stem cell research to rid America and the world from these illnesses.I hope that you decide that you want to live, rather than rot away as a slave to these illnesses.

Sincerely,

Catherine Nguyen

A student of America

Bibliography:

"Chronic Disease Overview." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Feb. 2016. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

"The Power of Stem Cells." California's Stem Cell Agency. N.p., 29 Feb. 2016. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Gallup, Inc. "Stem Cell Research." Gallup.com. N.p., 26 May 2016. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Staff, By Mayo Clinic.

Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do." - Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

"Stem Cell Research: Critical Need -." Stem Cell Research: Critical Need -. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

"Stem Cell Basics I. | Stemcells.nih.gov." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

"Leading Causes of Death." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 07 Oct. 2016. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.