[nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal reportfrom ChairmanGordon Gund

[John Heim]

It depends on what you mean by "inches". Research funded in part by the 
Foundation Fighting Blindness has developed therapies that have actually 
restored people's vision.

But the main reason the research hasn't done much yet is that the science is 
too new. FFB focuses entirely on retinal diseases like macular degeneration 
and retinitis pigmentosa. These diseases have to be treated with gene 
therapy and stem cell therapy. Here at the University of Wisconsin, there is 
a doctor working to take a person's own cells, induce them to act like stem 
cells, and then use these cells to replace the damaged cells in the person's 
retina. The entire science of gene therapy and stem cell therapy are only 
about 10 to 15 years old.  But enormous progress has already been made.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <blind.grizzly at gmail.com>
To: "Jeanette Fortin" <jeanette at fortin-home.com>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" 
<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal reportfrom ChairmanGordon 
Gund


> No one is angry about others getting sight back.  However, many are angry 
> about charities using negative stereotypes to leverage more money for the 
> research.  The end does not justify the means, especially when the means 
> take blind people backwards so fiercely.
>
> And about that research.  Exactly what is all the fear and pity mongering 
> buying?  Seems to me that miles are promised, but only inches are gained. 
> Perhaps it's not about the research, but rather more about the money.
>
> Jim Marks
> blind.grizzly at gmail.com
>
> On 4/22/2011 10:15 AM, Jeanette Fortin wrote:
>> no it isn't the end of the world and not being able to walk isn't the
>> end of the world and not being able to hear isn't the end of the world
>> but research is amazing in regard to what can be done to give people
>> improved situations, being angry about folks getting their sight back
>> seems odd to me.
>
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